Passport syndicate also involved in fake PLKS passes

A passport forgery syndicate that was crippled by the Immigration Department in Jelutong, here Monday, was also found to be involved in fake Visit Pass-Temporary Employment (PLKS).

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the investigation found that the syndicate, masterminded by a 38-year-old Bangladeshi, would impose charges from RM1,500 to thousands of ringgit to employers seeking to obtain PLKS.

"Based on the investigation, the syndicate acted as the middleman for employers to submit applications for PLKS at the immigration department, when in fact the suspect only sent a few applications to us while he produced the rest, complete with a sticker that resembled the original.

"For example, the employer sent 10 workers documents for PLKS and the man only handed two or three applications to the immigration department while the rest will be processed by the syndicate and then they imposed unsuspecting employers with high charges," he told reporters after the Penang Immigration Department Corruption-Free Pledge (IBR) ceremony at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) office, here Tuesday.

The MACC was represented by Penang MACC operations director Ch'ng Soon Heang.

He also advised employers to apply for PLKS for their employees directly with the immigration department as they can be done online only and would not take long to process with lower charges.

During the 9.30 pm raid at an apartment in Jelutong Monday night, the Immigration Department crippled the counterfeit syndicate by arresting six Bangladeshi men, aged 25 to 47, and seized various documents including 94 Bangladesh passports of various names, believed to be fake and cash of RM15,000.

- BERNAMA