Latest news with #ForeignWorkers'MedicalExaminationMonitoringAgency
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Expert: Fomema gaps let syndicates slip through
KUALA LUMPUR: A security expert has called on the government to tighten oversight of the Foreign Workers' Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema), citing weak inter-agency coordination and poor system checks that have left the agency vulnerable to exploitation by criminal syndicates. Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia's (UPNM) Faculty of Defence Studies and Management Professor Dr Mohd Mizan Aslam said the current Fomema system lacked a comprehensive verification process, making it susceptible to identity fraud and document forgery. "Although the system is centralised, the database and monitoring mechanisms are not thorough. This opens the door for syndicates to manipulate data and forge health certificates," he told the New Straits Times. He said Fomema currently processed medical certifications based solely on submitted documents, without verifying whether foreign workers had criminal records, previous deportations, or were using false identities. "This loophole has serious implications. Without accurate identity verification — via biometrics or inter-agency checks — syndicates will continue to exploit the system," he added. Mizan comments come in the wake of a recent crackdown by the Immigration Department on a forgery syndicate capable of producing up to 100 fake passports daily. The syndicate, which charged between RM100 and RM150 per fake passport, also manipulated the biodata of undocumented migrants to obtain Fomema health clearances. These forged medical documents were sold for between RM600 and RM1,000 each. He said this exposed clear weaknesses in the system, adding that syndicates were not just bypassing immigration rules, but also public health safeguards. "This situation could lead to the return of diseases like tuberculosis and hepatitis B, especially as infected individuals from countries with weaker healthcare systems go undetected," he said. "Malaysia has successfully controlled these diseases through vaccination and health campaigns. But without effective screening, they could resurface and strain our health infrastructure." Mizan said that while international passport systems were generally secure, Fomema documents lacked similar safeguards. "Unlike passports, Fomema certificates do not have tamper-proof features like QR codes or digital watermarks. This makes them easier to forge and abuse," he said. To address the issue, Mizan urged the government to introduce biometric verification for all foreign worker medical screenings, strengthen access control to Fomema's database, and integrate its system with immigration and law enforcement agencies. He also proposed placing certified integrity officers at key government departments to monitor compliance and prevent internal collusion. While acknowledging growing concerns over the agency's integrity, Mizan stressed that Fomema should not be dismantled but reformed. "We shouldn't abandon Fomema. We need to upgrade its technology, tighten control mechanisms, and improve coordination across agencies so it can fulfil its role in safeguarding national interests," he said.
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Forgers earn millions from fake passports, work passes
KUALA LUMPUR: Document forgery syndicates are believed to be earning millions of ringgit each year by producing fake passports and Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) for foreign job seekers in Malaysia. One such syndicate uncovered by the Immigration Department was reportedly charging between RM100 and RM150 per passport and capable of producing up to 100 fake passports a day. The syndicate was also found altering the biodata of undocumented foreigners to obtain approval from the Foreign Workers' Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema). Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban told Utusan Malaysia that certain syndicates were offering passports from specific countries to undocumented migrants using authentic passports with falsified biodata. This was done to facilitate the approval process for Fomema health screenings. Zakaria said these services were offered for around RM200 per case, including arrangements for the medical check-up at selected clinics. "There are syndicates offering forged passports specifically for Fomema purposes, charging RM100 to RM150 each. "These illegal activities are believed to produce 50 to 100 passports per day." he said. The syndicates were mainly forging passports from foreign worker source countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Indonesia. Zakaria said the syndicates typically used genuine passports belonging to other individuals, and altered the biodata and internal pages at a cost of RM1,000 to RM1,500 per passport. He said some syndicates would use the forged passport details to apply for Fomema approval, which involved an additional cost of RM600 to RM1,000 per document. "Most of these operations are based in business premises and condominiums to avoid detection and are equipped with printers to produce fake documents," he said. However, the number of passport forgery syndicates has decreased following Malaysia's shift towards digitalisation, including the adoption of e-passports and mobile passport readers. "The Immigration Department is now equipped with tools that help us determine whether a document is fake or genuine, so those with forged documents cannot escape scrutiny. "This is evident as only 27 arrests related to forged passes were made up to April this year, compared to 221 last year, while 57 arrests were recorded for fake passports in 2024."
