KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 -- Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has defended the Immigration Department's raids against undocumented migrants amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Ramadan, saying the operations are part of an ongoing effort.

The defence minister claimed the controversial raids are not merely done during the movement control order (MCO) period, and pointed to other countries that also undertake such moves against those who entered the country through unsanctioned means.

"This Ops Pati is an operation that is continuous, not just during the MCO. Even before the MCO, there were Ops Pati done by the Immigration Department," he said in his daily briefing, using the Malay acronym for "illegal immigrants".

"Last time, during ...