AML / CFT : Companies target illegal immigrants in fees scam
The Malaysian Home Ministry is investigating several companies that have allegedly taken money, supposedly as fees, from illegal immigrants claiming that they are working on behalf of the government in a repatriation scheme.
The scheme is real: Malaysian authorities have announced an amnesty for illegal immigrants, including over-stayers - to voluntarily leave Malaysia without prosecution provided they surrender to immigration officials and consent to the collection of biometric data.
As part of the scheme, Malaysia recently introduced fingerprint readers at ports of exit for non-residents and non-work permit holders.
But it has not authorised any person, individual or company, to act as facilitor or in any other capacity.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is furious: many of those who are eligible under the scheme are likely to struggle to raise the fare to leave. For a rogue to collect approx MYR800 (GBP180) from such people is not only a fraud but a significant handicap to the scheme.
Malaysia has a severe illegal immigrant problem - with a known population of about 26 million, an additional two million illegal immigrants present a significant percentage of people.
Under the so-called 6P scheme, illegal immigrants will be formally charged, convicted and pardoned. Already police are conducting widespread document checking and illegal immigrants who are discovered will be deported, the Ministry says.
The scheme is to formally come into force in about a month and, with those elements described above, it will hit the ground running, the Ministry hopes.
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