KUALA LUMPUR: Five officers from the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) have been arrested for allegedly accepting bribes ranging from RM500 to RM2,500 in smuggling foreign nationals.
According to sources, the officers were believed to have received these payments through a 'counter setting' modus operandi at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA1) and Terminal 2 (klia2).
Sources revealed that the amount of bribe varied depending on the nationality of the foreign nationals.
"The lowest bribe was approximately RM500 for Uzbek nationals, while the highest was RM2,500 for Bangladeshi nationals. Different amounts were reported for nationals from other countries, including Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Yemen," sources said.
Moreover, to avoid detection, the officers and the syndicate used code names like School boy, Salak, Limau, Laici, Karpet, Kicap, Roti canai, Junta and Ayam to refer to the nationalities of the foreign nationals being processed.
The term 'lembu' was used to denote the bribe payments received, while 'durian' referred to the bribes given to the officers facilitating the entry of these nationals.
Sources said the officers at KLIA1 and klia2 received lists and passport photos of the arriving foreign nationals via WhatsApp from the syndicate.
"Upon arrival, these foreign nationals were directed to specific counters for entry clearance and were given either a 30-day stay permit or a seven-day open permit.
"Following the completion of the entry procedures, the syndicate made bribe payments either in cash or through bank transfers to the officers' accounts or to accounts held by proxies or certain companies within one to two days," sources said.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki, confirmed that operations are underway at KLIA1 and klia2 concerning this 'counter setting' modus operandi, with further arrests likely.
"The MACC is actively seeking other involved officers and expects to call more individuals for questioning.
"However, the foreign nationals who benefited from this operation have already vanished and are difficult to locate.
"This situation is contributing to the rising number of illegal workers in the country. They are not here for tourism but to find employment without going through the proper permit process," he added.