Datuk among those charged in fake employment pass case

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of people including a Datuk have been hauled to the court and charged with 81 counts of money laundering, involving a total of RM19mil in relation to a fake Visitor’s Pass for Temporary Employment (PLKS) syndicate.

The five - Datuk Ab Aziz Abdullah, 44; his sister Anita Abdullah, 47; Anita’s husband, Muhammad Semail, 43; Abu Yazid Mohd, 38; and Mohd Hariza Mohd Yusof, 34 - pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out at two separate Sessions Courts here on Thursday (March 10).

Due to the volume of charges, the court interpreter took more than an hour to read all the charges before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin.

According to the charge sheets, they were accused of having in possession cash in the millions, properties, and luxury vehicles purchased with monies believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities from a current account belonging to several entities.

Ab Aziz was slapped with 41 counts of money laundering involving RM9.42mil in the form of cash, properties, and luxury cars such as Range Rover Sports, Mercedes Benz GLA 43, and GMC Yukon XL.

His elder sister Anita was charged with 15 counts of money laundering totalling RM5.06mil in the form of cash and properties while Abu faced three counts of money laundering involving RM341,915 in the form of cash and luxury cars.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim offered a RM500,000 bail on all the accused.

However, lawyer Md Yunos Shariff who represented the accused pleaded for minimum bail on grounds that his clients had given their full cooperation during the investigation.

Judge Suzana fixed bail at RM400,000, RM250,000, and RM150,000 in one surety each against Ab Aziz, Anita, and Abu, respectively.

The case was fixed for mention on April 20.

At a separate court, Muhammad was slapped with 11 counts of money laundering totalling RM1.72mil; EUR 1,300; and GBP 2,000, monies believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities.

Muhammad was also jointly charged with Abu as directors of Panorama Indeks Sdn Bhd of having RM28,985.13, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, in the company’s account.

Hariza was charged with possessing and using RM1.56mil believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities in his accounts.

Hariza and Aziz were also jointly charged as directors of Sepakat Hidayah Sdn Bhd of having RM559,779.15 believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities in the company’s account.

They allegedly committed the offence in several places near Klang Valley since February 2015.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.

The offence under AMLATFPUAA carries a jail term not exceeding 15 years, and a fine of at least five times the sum obtained from money laundering or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi fixed bail at RM250,000 in one surety against Hariza and Muhammad each.

The court also fixed April 20 for mention.

It was reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), together with the Immigration Department, had crippled the biggest syndicate involved in the issuance of fake PLKS to foreign workers, causing the government hundreds of millions of ringgit in losses last year.

Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the busted syndicate had been operating for several years and caused the government to lose RM4.7mil through unpaid levy.

He said the department initiated a detailed investigation into unauthorised PLKS passes in the middle of last year following the arrest of a Bangladeshi worker.

In recent raids jointly conducted with the MACC, the authorities managed to seize RM25mil worth of assets, 66 vehicles including 12 luxury cars, 34 branded watches and more than RM500,000 cash.