THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested the mastermind behind the "counter setting" operations at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, said its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
He said the man, in his 40s, was among 50 people arrested by the MACC recently in its investigation into the ring.
The ring involved Immigration Department personnel, agents, and foreign nationals who were allegedly bringing in foreign workers illegally.
"Our investigations revealed he influenced over 50 personnel and he was the focal person that ensured the others acted according to his instructions," he told reporters in Putrajaya today.
Azam also said they have since identified a Bangladeshi businessman, believed to be supplying foreign nationals to the "counter setting" operations.
"We believe the suspect is one of the masterminds involved in supplying fellow countrymen to the syndicate.
"Checks showed that the suspect is in the country but we have yet to arrest him as we have not managed to contact our counterparts in Bangladesh.
"The suspect was being monitored and is believed to be working with the main agents involved in the syndicate to source out Bangladeshi workers to be sent to Malaysia," he said.
On Aug 21, MACC dismantled a syndicate responsible for smuggling foreign nationals from Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and Nepal into Malaysia through unofficial entry points.
Azam also revealed that the syndicate used code names such as schoolboy for Bangladeshis, junta for Myanmar citizens, and soya sauce or roti canai for Indian nationals.
"The syndicate also called Chinese nationals orange and Vietnamese nationals lychee or Nguyen, while those from Pakistan and Indonesia were code-named salak and carpet.
"Bangladeshis were the priciest of the lot, with corrupt immigration officers receiving an RM2,500 bribe for each national allowed into the country without the necessary checks," he said.
He said the rates for the bribes varied based on the nationalities, with the second-highest being Myanmar nationals at RM1,500 per migrant, followed by Pakistan (RM1,300), Yemen (RM1,000), India (RM800), Uzbekistan (RM500), China (RM350), Vietnam (RM350), and Indonesia (RM300).
On a separate issue, Azam said the sons of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have declared their assets to the MACC.
He said Mirzan Mahathir and Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir did so according to the period given by the commission.
"They have made a property declaration to us according to the set time and the investigation team is engaging and coordinating with their lawyers," he said.
It was reported last month that the MACC had granted a final one-month extension to the duo to declare their assets to the anti-graft agency.
They had until mid-September to comply.
Back in May, Azam mentioned that lawyers representing Mirzan and Mokhzani had requested an extension of the deadline to declare their assets. Despite the initial deadlines set for May 25 and May 29, neither Mirzan nor Mokhzani had submitted their declarations.
The two were first notified in January and given 30 days, by February, to declare their assets. However, the MACC has since granted multiple extensions. - September 18, 2024
