Putrajaya: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested five more immigration officers for allegedly colluding in hacking the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) to facilitate the unlawful processing and approval of Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the five suspects - four men and one woman aged between their 30s and 40s - were arrested at about 1 pm yesterday when they turned up to give statements at the MACC headquarters here. To date, the MACC has recorded statements from 17 individuals to assist in the investigation.
"Preliminary investigations found that all the officers are suspected of colluding to hack the MyIMMs system while also assisting in obtaining approvals for PLKS applications without following the proper procedures. Following the arrests, the MACC seized five mobile phones belonging to the suspects," the source said.
On July 28, the MACC arrested 12 individuals, including six immigration officers, in a joint operation conducted with several other agencies across the Klang Valley and Penang. The other six suspects nabbed comprised two company directors, three foreign nationals, and a police officer. The commission also froze bank accounts involving approximately RM300,000.
MACC Chief Commissioner Abd Halim Aman confirmed the latest arrests when contacted and said the case is being investigated under Sections 17(a) and 16(a) of the MACC Act 2009. All the suspects are expected to be remanded by the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court today. Meanwhile, the five immigration officers have been remanded for three days until Aug 6 to assist investigations. Putrajaya Court Magistrate Ezrene Zakariah issued the remand order on an application by MACC.
Earlier, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated that the department would obtain the investigation report from MACC before taking any action, including disciplinary measures, against the arrested officers. "The priority at this stage is to give MACC the space to complete its investigations in accordance with the legal process," Zakaria said.