6 more nabbed in fake employment pass syndicate

Cash and other items seized from the syndicate whose members were believed to have hacked into the Immigration Department database to issue employment passes. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested another six people, including two immigration officers, for suspected involvement in a syndicate providing fake temporary employment passes.

The two officers, aged 34 and 42, were believed to have accepted bribes, a source close to the investigation told FMT.

The remaining four suspects, aged between 35 and 39, were employees of a systems provider company.

Their arrests also led to the discovery of computers belonging to the Immigration Department. These computers were equipped with hacking devices and software to hack into the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs).

MACC also seized several computers and electronic devices from the Immigration Department, including a laptop and an external hard disk belonging to one of the employees of the systems provider’s company.

The source also said MACC had identified four hotels in Kuala Lumpur from where the syndicate had been operating from.

When contacted, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed the arrests.

“We are looking at this issue seriously as it involves national security,” he said.

The arrests come a few days after MACC busted the syndicate and arrested five individuals, including a Datuk, who was heading it, as well as a former immigration officer.

Since the arrests, the authorities have also frozen RM9.9 million kept in 147 bank accounts, belonging to 30 individuals and 11 companies.

They also seized 30 properties valued at over RM11 million and 66 vehicles worth a total of RM13.7 million.