KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested five individuals, including three enforcement officers, for allegedly abetting in the illegal registration of foreign workers under the Immigration Department's Labour Recalibration Programme.
According to a source, the other two individuals comprise a company manager and a foreign national. All five, aged between 20s and 40s, were picked up between 11am and 2.30pm on Monday (June 23) in Putrajaya and Kelantan.
"Initial investigations revealed that the three enforcement officers – two men and a woman –are suspected of accepting bribes ranging between RM50,000 and RM60,000 for processing foreign worker registration applications.
"All suspects are believed to have committed the offence between 2020 and 2021," the source said.
The arrests were the result of Ops Putih carried out by the MACC in Kelantan to uncover syndicate activities allegedly involving immigration officers and foreign agents in the illegal registration of workers under the programme.
The source added that the operation focused on curbing corruption among civil servants and dismantling syndicate networks involved in such illicit practices.
Magistrate Amin Rashidi Ramli issued a seven-day remand order until next Monday for all suspects following MACC's application at the Kota Baru Magistrate's Court on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Division senior director Datuk Idris Zaharudin, when contacted, confirmed the arrest and said the case is being investigated under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009. – Bernama
