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4 nabbed over RM2 million fraud in foreign worker programme

The syndicate was believed to have charged between RM6,500 and RM8,000 per worker for temporary working visit passes.

Bernama
2 minute read
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Foreign workers at a building construction site in Selangor. A syndicate is believed to have made a profit of RM2 million through fraudulent outsourcing activities for foreign labour.
Foreign workers at a building construction site in Selangor. A syndicate is believed to have made a profit of RM2 million through fraudulent outsourcing activities for foreign labour.

Three foreign men and a local have been 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 Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the four aged between 20 and 47 were detained at a tourism office in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

A total of 264 passports from countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and India were also seized, along with RM7,270 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.

According to him, the syndicate had operated from the tourism company which was used as a base for registration, the collection of passports and receipt of payments from foreigners duped into signing up under the RTK programme.

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

“The syndicate was believed to have charged between RM6,500 and 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 the operating period, the syndicate was believed to have been able to rake in a profit of RM2 million through charges imposed on foreign workers, companies or individuals who became their customers.

Khairul 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.