A major organized corruption scandal involving immigration officials has sent shockwaves through Malaysia. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recently announced the arrest of five Immigration Department officials on charges of assisting in the illegal entry of foreigners and the seizure of a staggering $1 million (approximately 1.38 billion KRW) in assets from them.
The corruption was carried out through a new method called "counter-setting." The officials received bribes to direct specific foreigners to a designated immigration counter, where they were allowed to pass without any proper verification. Although it was a well-known secret that the Immigration Department was tainted by corruption, the exposure of such a large-scale, organized operation is unprecedented.
The scale of the seized assets is shocking. In addition to 20,000 ringgit (approximately 5.78 million KRW) in cash, the seizures included 3.2 kg of jewelry (1.6 million ringgit, approx. 460 million KRW), 75 gold bars (400,000 ringgit, approx. 110 million KRW), several luxury vehicles, homes, land, designer bags, and over 20 high-end watches. The total value of the seized assets amounts to 3.3 million ringgit (approximately 950 million KRW). The MACC also froze 70 of their bank accounts.
The arrest of a husband-and-wife team of civil servants among the five has caused further controversy. Over a four-year period since 2020, they reportedly assisted undocumented foreigners in entering the country illegally, earning about 900,000 ringgit (approximately 260 million KRW). They are said to have used this money to open a gold shop and purchase luxury cars, living a lavish lifestyle.
The Malaysian Immigration Department has a history of involvement in various corruption cases, including bribery and facilitating illegal employment for foreigners. However, this case is viewed as a matter of national security, as the organized corruption was committed at the country's main gateway, the airport. The MACC plans to launch a comprehensive investigation into the entire Immigration Department in the wake of this incident, and the public is demanding a thorough investigation and a strong commitment to rooting out corruption.
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