labour have caused a rise in the number of illegal immigrants in Bintulu. The number may have reached 50,000 in 2009. Bintulu immigration department has performed several operations to deport illegal immigrants back to their home country. Ethnicity As of the 2010 Malaysian census, the population of the town of Bintulu is 114,058. Indigenous people accounted for the largest proportion of the town population (61.2%, 69,782), followed by Chinese (25.0%, 28,512), Non-Malaysians (13.1%, 14,939), and Indians (0.3%, 319). Among the indigenous groups, there are Iban (32,992), Malay (14,945), Melanau (14,179), Bidayuh (1,598), and other indigenous tribes (6,068). According to government sources, there are 229 Iban longhouses in the Bintulu District. The Ibans moved into Kemena and Tatau basins in the mid-19th and early 20th century with permission of the Brooke government. Other indigenous tribes that form the minority are Kayan, Kenyah, and Punan. The Chinese in Bintulu are mainly composed of dialect groups such as Hakka, Fuzhou, and Teochews. The Chinese have been living in the town of Tatau since the era of Bruneian Empire. Later, Fuzhou Chinese from Sibu moved in, dominating the timber and plantation businesses in Bintulu. There is also a large number of foreigners working there. Most of them come from Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, China, the United States, and Indonesia. Languages While Malay and English are the official language of Sarawak; Iban is widely spoken there. Local ethnic languages and Chinese dialects are spoken by the respective ethnic groups. Standard Chinese is also spoken by ethnic Chinese in Bintulu. Bintulu is spoken by communities living along the Kemena River, with 4,200 native speakers. These speakers are now recognised as part of the Melanau ethnic group, where their main language is Malay. Bintulu is classified as one of the endangered languages in Sarawak because of the isolated usage of the language in a small community. Religion The majority of the Bintulu population are adherents of Christian denominations due to Christian missionaries operating during the Brooke dynasty; followed by Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Among the notable places of worship in Bintulu are the Bintulu Mosque (Masjid Assyakirin), Masjid Jepak, Tua Pek Kong Temple, Eng Kwang Methodist Church, and St.Thomas Church. The respective religious groups are free to hold processions in the town. Economy There are five industrial estates in Bintulu. They are: Kemena Industrial Estate (for wood-based industries), Jepak Industries Estate