Immigration Department Busts Syndicate Illegally Issuing Work Permits; Agent and 7 Myanmar Nationals Arrested

The Malaysian Immigration Department has once again launched an anti-illegal worker 'Crackdown Operation' (Op Crack), this time arresting 8 Myanmar nationals in Cheras, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, including one woman believed to be serving as an illegal agent, smashing a syndicate involved in illegal acquisition of Temporary Employment Passes (PLKS).

Immigration Director-General Dato’ Zakaria stated that an enforcement team from the Intelligence and Special Operations Unit at the Putrajaya Immigration Headquarters conducted the enforcement action in the area last Saturday (1st) afternoon. This was the department's second round of enforcement operations since a joint operation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the end of last month.

Zakaria announced in a statement today that, according to preliminary investigations, the arrested Myanmar female agent is believed to be linked to a Myanmar male ringleader detained during the first 'Crackdown Operation' conducted with MACC.

"The others arrested include one Myanmar man and six Myanmar women, who are believed to have been waiting to be arranged for employment with local employers. These 8 individuals are aged between 29 and 56."

He pointed out that officers also found, upon inspection, that the female agent, though holding a temporary employment pass for the service sector, had helped fellow nationals illegally work as undocumented labourers. Four women were also found to have overstayed, while three others had no valid entry documents.

In addition, the enforcement team also seized 16 Myanmar passports, copies of forged temporary work permits, documents related to the supply of workers, and a Toyota Yaris believed to be used by the syndicate.

Director-General Zakaria believes this illegal syndicate began operating at the start of the year: "They are suspected of providing illegal temporary work permits and supplying foreign workers to employers in the Klang Valley, charging between RM8,000 and RM10,000 per person."

He added that these forged temporary work passes were issued by hacking into the 'Malaysian Immigration Department Immigration System' (MyIMMs). Earlier, the Immigration Department had already revoked 1,306 temporary employment passes acquired through such hacking.

"Currently, all suspects have been arrested under various provisions of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 and Passport Act 1966, and have been brought to the Putrajaya Immigration Department office for further investigation."

According to reports, in the first operation, MACC arrested 12 suspects, including 6 immigration officers, 2 company directors, 3 foreign nationals, and 1 police officer, uncovering internal collusion where officers conspired with outsiders to hack the system and unlawfully issue temporary employment passes.