Four men arrested for RTK programme fraud - Immigration

KUALA LUMPUR: Three foreign men and a local man were arrested for allegedly operating a fraudulent outsourcing syndicate to make a profit of RM2 million from the government's Labour Recalibration Programme (RTK).

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the four aged between 20 and 47 were detained at a tourism office here last Friday, along with the seizure of 264 passports from countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and India, with the intention to register the migrants in the RTK programme.

He said the department also confiscated RM 7,270 in cash believed to be part of the daily transaction proceeds from the fraudulent activities.

"The syndicate was found to be carrying out activities similar to outsourcing companies which have been abolished by using some inactive (dormant) companies to obtain a quota of foreign workers under the RTK programme," he said in a statement today.

According to him, the syndicate was operating from the tourism company used as a base for registration, collection of passports and receipt of payments from foreigners duped to sign up for the RTK programme.

Khairul Dzaimee said the services of successfully registered foreign workers would then be offered to an employer or a company that needed foreign workers for a fee.

"The syndicate is believed to charge between RM6,500 to RM8,000 per person (migrant worker) to obtain a Temporary Working Visit Pass (PLKS) for various sectors through the programme," he said.

He said based on the number of passports and operating period, the syndicate was believed to be able to rake in a profit of RM2 million through charges imposed on foreign workers, companies or individuals who became their customers.

Khairul Dzaimee said the four detainees were taken to the Putrajaya Immigration Department for further investigation and action under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963.

-- BERNAMA