KUALA LUMPUR: Six Immigration Department officers were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today for suspected involvement in corruption and power abuse.
According to sources, the six – aged between 27 and 36 – were arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) between 8.16am and 9.10am.
They are accused of abetting a people smuggling syndicate by allowing blacklisted individuals to leave or enter Malaysia.
In a related operation in Kelantan, the MACC detained a Vietnamese national and a 49-year-old businessman.
It is learnt that the MACC will request a remand order against the suspects – who are being held at the Dang Wangi district headquarters – at 9am tomorrow.
The arrests by the MACC were made with the cooperation of the Immigration Department via intelligence sharing; and following complaints received on human smuggling activities at the country’s main points of entry
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said his department will take stern action against officers and staff found guilty of corruption or integrity violation.
“We conducted a series of arrests of Immigration officers and (members of) the involved syndicate in this case under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, and they will be taken to court,” he said in a statement today.
Mustafar added that the department is committed to ensuring that the integrity of its officers is at a maximum level; and it will continue to implement compliance and awareness-raising programmes to combat power abuse.
He said that the department is also establishing close collaboration with other agencies, including the MACC, to ensure that these goals can be achieved.