PETALING JAYA: Immigrants have become a “goldmine” for unscrupulous enforcement officers who solicit bribes from them, says a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) top gun.
“Corruption among enforcement officers, who are seen as security frontliners, is becoming more chronic and worrying.
“It is a sad and bitter truth, but foreigners have constantly faced this (harassment),” said Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya.
“Regardless of whether they had a work permit, a student visa or are undocumented, this group has always become a target for enforcement officials,” he said in a post on the commission’s website yesterday.
Khusairi said the “Malaysia Boleh” slogan is now a target of cynicism, linked to the rampant corruption.
With so much corruption, he said it was not surprising that Malaysia has become a migrant workers’ hub for employment, as a drug transit in South-East Asia and a centre for scams and dubious international investments, online gambling, prostitution rings and others.
“We have often rejected and have been in denial. We often hear claims (that corruption) is an isolated incident. This should not be used as an excuse to deny the reality of greedy enforcement officers,” he said.
Khusairi also went on to provide 17 examples of vice involving foreigners that are common in the country.
Among them are the application for foreign workers whereby companies paid bribes to secure approvals; bribery involving enforcement officials at international gateways to expedite exit and entry process; abusing student visas to seek employment; indulging in activities such as prostitution; gambling; scams; obtaining citizenship and birth certificates through bribery; smuggling and many more.
Such activities, he said, have given enforcement officials room to indulge in bribery whether on a small scale or even as a syndicate.
“The issue of a flood of foreigners in this country should not be taken lightly. The impact is very bad because it involves social problems, crime, health and security,” he said.
The MACC’s revelation through Ops Tropicana, Ops Bolos KLIA 1 & 2, Ops Lancar and a series of other operations have proven the seriousness of the issue, he added.
