Malaysia officials probed for graft

Malaysia officials probed for graft

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Immigration chiefs in several states in Malaysia are under probe for corruption, on suspicion of having approved temporary employment permits for illegal foreign workers, officials said yesterday.

The investigations followed public complaints that some illegal foreign workers had been issued temporary work passes despite the fact that they came in as tourists on social visit visas, immigration spokesman Aris Chonin said.

"We have reasons to believe there could be irregularities in the approval of such work passes," Aris said, when contacted by telephone.

Foreigners entering the country as tourists on social visit passes are not allowed to work, even on a part time basis, immigration officials said.

Aris was reported as saying yesterday in the New Straits Times that a special committee headed by the immigration department's deputy director-general Abdul Malek Hamzah began the probe on July 28.

Help from police and the Anti-Corruption Agency would be sought if necessary, he said.

Aris said preliminary investigations conducted by the committee, which was set up early this year following public charges of irregularities, showed "there is some truth in the allegations."

Many foreign illegal workers, particularly from neighboring Philippines and Indonesia, have entered the country posing as tourists with valid passports. They were later found to have obtained work permits.

Malaysia's booming economy with its growing labor shortage continues to attract foreign workers, who now number more than one million, sparking government concern here over possible social problems they could pose.

Aris said immigration officers at entry points had been directed to step up checks on tourists entering the country to curb the entry of illegal workers. "We have our own ways to carry out the checks," he said.

He warned foreigners on social visit visas against working as they could be prosecuted and fined up to 1,000 ringgit (US$400) or face a six-month jail term, or both.

A total of 3,369 foreigners were detained for violating the conditions of their social visit passes in the first six months of the year.

Aris said those caught harboring illegals face a heavier fine of 10,000 ringgit ($4,000) or a five-year imprisonment or both.