6 immigration officers among 12 held over MyIMMs hack

 MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman says the suspects were arrested yesterday at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters and the Penang immigration department.

MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman said the syndicate exploited unused temporary employment visit pass quotas for 2011 without paying the levy for the passes issued. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Six immigration officers and a police officer were among 12 individuals arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for alleged involvement in a syndicate that hacked the immigration department’s MyIMMs system.

MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman said the suspects comprised two company directors, three foreign nationals, four immigration officers, two officers from the immigration department’s IT division, and one police officer.

He said the suspects, in their 30s and 40s, were arrested between 2pm and 5pm yesterday at the MACC headquarters and the Penang immigration department.

“Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate exploited unused temporary employment visit pass (PLKS) quotas for 2011 without paying the levy for the passes issued.

“A total of 1,306 fraudulent PLKS passes were issued, causing the government estimated losses of RM2.4 million,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

Halim said MACC also raided several company premises and immigration offices in Penang and Putrajaya to assist investigations.

He said the suspects would be brought before the Putrajaya magistrates’ court this morning for remand applications. - FMT