Protect family from falling victim to sham marriages, says immigration DG
PETALING JAYA : The immigration department has told the public to be more vigilant amid growing concerns over sham marriages involving foreign nationals and older local women.
Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said syndicates are targeting vulnerable elderly women to consent to marriage with foreign partners in exchange for thousands of ringgit paid monthly as an allowance, Berita Harian reported.
'We need to raise awareness about this in the community.
'If you have ageing family members, such as a mother or older sister who lives alone, ensure they are not taken advantage of by syndicates offering financial incentives,' he was quoted as saying.
Immigration authorities recently smashed a syndicate believed to be offering immigration services, including applications under the 'foreign spouse of a Malaysian citizen' category, and marriage registration services through the national registration department (JPN).
The syndicate reportedly targeted vulnerable elderly women, often those who were financially dependent or lacked family support.
According to the Malay daily, in most cases, the elderly women were only required to consent to the marriage. In exchange, they received thousands of ringgit every month as an allowance, while the foreign partner used the marriage to obtain legal status in Malaysia.
Zakaria said that while marriages conducted legally and in accordance with Malaysian law are not considered offences, authorities are concerned about the rise in the so-called 'marriages of convenience' that are used to gain residency status.
He also warned that the department will not approve long-term social visit passes if investigations suggest that the marriages were carried out purely for immigration benefits.
'There have been cases of foreign men in their 20s marrying local women in their 60s or 70s. The age gap alone raises suspicion of ulterior motives,' he said.
'If a 25-year-old foreign man marries an elderly woman just to get legal status in Malaysia, that's not a genuine relationship. Immigration will conduct thorough checks to verify the authenticity of such marriages.'
He said these cases, though not new, present an ongoing social concern, especially when elderly individuals are exploited.
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