MACC Seized 21 Luxury Vehicle From Malaysian Immigration Department’s Staff
Putrajaya: Gifted a ‘collection’ of luxury cars to a handful of Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) staff involved in the syndicate of misusing confirmation of entry and exit stamps at the country’s main gates.
This was evidenced when the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) through the Ops Selat operation seized 21 luxury vehicles of various models owned by JIM staff who were arrested since last Monday. Among the car models confiscated involved Nissan Skyline R35, Subaru, Toyota Alphard, Hyundai Starex, Honda Accord, Mitsubishi Lancer, and various other imported vehicles. Sources said that all 21 luxury vehicles worth millions of ringgit are now seized at the Putrajaya MACC Headquarters for further investigation.
- “Also seized were 4 high-powered motorcycles belonging to JIM staff who were remanded.
- “A follow-up investigation conducted by the MACC also found cash amounting to RM132,000 besides also seizing money in the bank account belonging to JIM staff amounting to RM616,499,” he said.
According to him, the MACC is very serious in exposing corruption activities following the arrest of 27 JIM members, 14 foreign workers’ agents, and five members of the public.
“Investigations have found that these agents or middlemen use luxury money and vehicles to ‘buy’ the hearts of the staff involved to facilitate the entry and exit of troubled foreign workers from this country since 2017,” he said. Sources said that the MACC investigation through a special operation found that this syndicate of foreign agents had spent RM14.5 million to bribe immigration officers for the past 4 years.
“This is evidenced when some of the low-ranking JIM staff are detained with unreasonable savings and luxury vehicles. To obscure the authorities, individuals identified as middlemen or agents of these illegal activities register luxury vehicles using the names of other individuals. “This clearly goes beyond the income of the individuals involved who only occupy Grade KP19,” the source told Harian Metro.
According to the official website of the Public Service Commission (SPA), the minimum salary of grade KP19 for the classification of security and civil defense services is RM1,360 and a maximum of RM4,052 excluding allowance payments.
“In fact, the investigation also leads to a luxurious life enjoyed, including frequent trips abroad,” he said.
According to him, the MACC is now continuing its efforts to hunt down the two men who wanted to help investigate the corruption case that can be traced. “Until now (yesterday), the men involved Yuen Hon Loong, 49, and Teo Hun Siang, 36, still failed to be found,” he said.
Through Op Selat, MACC managed to arrest 46 individuals last Monday. According to a report by Harian Metro starting last Wednesday, the JIM staff was bribed following numerous requests from employers to extend the permit period in the country and the request of foreign workers or migrants to return to their country of origin.
