Latest news with #MuhammadHasbullahAli
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
Bukit Aman: Reduction in Mujamalah visas may see rise in fraudulent haj packages
KUALA LUMPUR: Federal police in Bukit Aman anticipate a surge in fraudulent Haj packages following the government's move to tighten the issuance of Mujamalah visas this season. Commercial Crime Investigation Department Acting Director Datuk Muhammad Hasbullah Ali said his department had received one report related to the scam, resulting in a loss of RM71,000. "This year, the government has reduced the issuance of Mujamalah visas for Malaysians to perform haj. The issuance of permits has subsequently become very strict. "However, we believe that due to this situation, there will be attempts by scammers to offer packages to deceive victims. "This haj season, a victim who wanted to perform the haj filed a report after being cheated," he told reporters here today. Hasbullah said that although the number of victims was decreasing, the number of fraudulent offers for such haj packages was on the rise. In 2023, a total of 11 cases of haj package fraud were recorded, with total losses reaching RM649,631. "Although the number of cases decreased to only four in 2024, the losses were reported to have increased significantly to RM874,100," he said. He said that starting in 2024, a special task force to address the issue of stranded haj pilgrims was established to coordinate investigations, manage documentation, and arrest individuals or company owners suspected of being involved in offering fake haj packages. He said that this effort was carried out with the collaboration of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Lembaga Tabung Haji. He advised the public to be careful with the offers by checking the registration status of the company or agent.
The Star
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Third ‘Tan Sri' nabbed in RM3.5bil MBI scam probe
KUALA LUMPUR: Another 'Tan Sri' has been nabbed over his alleged involvement in the Mobility Beyond Imagination (MBI) investment scam. This brings the total of those detained in the ongoing investigation to 14 people. Sources said the 53-year-old man was detained in Penang at about 2am yesterday after he returned from overseas. 'He arrived from overseas via Kuala Lumpur International Airport and made his way to Penang. 'He is believed to be either the syndicate's proxy or a business partner of the suspects,' sources said. The police are also investigating the possibility of the suspect's involvement in money laundering for the syndicate. 'He is believed to have received profits from the investment scam for money laundering purposes,' sources said. Meanwhile, IGP secretariat's Anti-Money Laundering (Amla) division head Comm Datuk Muhammad Hasbullah Ali confirmed the arrest under Ops Northern Star. 'However, we have not seized any belongings so far. 'We are still investigating the case,' he said. The Star previously reported that two prominent businessmen with Tan Sri titles and a Datuk Seri were already in custody. The arrests of the earlier 13 suspects were made between March 21 and April 21, which has now seen RM3.5bil in assets including a hotel and durian plantations linked to the MBI investment scheme previously seized. Among the assets seized this round were durian plantations in Pahang, Penang and Kedah worth RM223,624,167.75. An additional 299 bank accounts with RM123,614,594.35 were also frozen, he said. All these assets were believed to have been purchased or had links to the proceeds from the scheme's illegal gains. Investigations showed that one of the Tan Sri, a businessman, had been acting as both partner to the investment scam and a proxy to the victims. As of now, no other 'influential figures' such as politicians are on the police radar and others who were being pursued are businessmen, said Comm Muhammad Hasbullah.
