Latest news with #PLKS
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."
The Star
22-05-2025
- The Star
Father, son nabbed over fake ID shop
Busted: Wan Mohammed Saupee (second from left) showing the items seized during the press conference at KL Immigration headquarters. KUALA LUMPUR: On the outside, it looked like an ordinary photography and watch shop in Chow Kit where people go in to get their photo taken for official documents. But in reality, the shop was a one-stop centre for migrants and foreigners to get all manner of forged documents such as MyKad, MyKid, temporary work permits (PLKS), I-Kad and CIDB cards. Run by a father and son, the shop has been operating since early this year and is believed to have attracted clients from even outside the Klang Valley. Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said the centre was busted following an 'Ops Serkap' raid at about 7pm on May 20. 'The operation involved 15 officers who did a month of surveillance and intelligence gathering. We detained both men aged 60 and 34 in the raid. 'They have been forging documents and cards for foreigners and foreign worker agents. The foreigners are from various countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar,' he told a press conference at the KL Immigration headquarters yesterday. The suspects would communicate with prospective customers via WhatsApp. Customers would be asked to provide a passport photo and pay either in cash or through online methods. 'They charged customers between RM60 and RM140, depending on the complexity of the work,' said Wan Mohammed Saupee. Among the items seized were fake I-Kad, 50 fake e-PLKS slips, forged MyKad and MyKid as well as a card printing machine, 100 blank cards, photocopy machines and mobile phones, and RM4,000 in cash. 'Their fake cards included chips and hologram stickers that seemed genuine. However, the chips would not contain any information when scanned,' he said. On top of immigration offences, the suspects will be also investigated for money laundering. 'We are checking bank transactions of both suspects. We believe they garnered big profits from this operation,' he said.
The Star
22-05-2025
- The Star
Illegal clinics with ‘doc' shuttered
KUALA LUMPUR: For RM90, patients are treated by foreign 'doctors' at several illegal clinics in the Klang Valley. To avoid detection, these 'doctors' will only treat patients at night. After a year of operations, their illicit activities came to an end when the Immigration Department raided the illegal clinics on Jalan Ipoh here as well as Sungai Buloh and Shah Alam in Selangor on Monday. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said six foreigners, including a Pakistani man, were detained. The raids followed two weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance by authorities. The department arrested the Pakistani man, who was posing as a doctor, along with three female Myanmar nationals and two other women from Pakistan and India, all aged between 23 and 57. Zakaria said the Pakistani man was found to have overstayed. One of the Myanmar nationals had a temporary work permit for foreign workers (PLKS) while another had a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card. 'The remaining foreigners did not have any travel documents or valid passes,' he said when contacted. During the raid, officers seized several items, including a patient logbook, a clinic stamp, three foreign passports, mobile phones and uniforms for medical practitioners. 'We believe some of the other foreigners were working as medical assistants or nurses,' Zakaria added. The syndicate would offer medical services, especially to foreigners. Each patient is charged about RM90 and payment for the illegal service can only be made online. 'The unlicensed doctors would perform medical checkups only at night. 'We believe they had been operating for about a year. All those detained were brought to the KLIA Immigration depot for further action,' he added. Zakaria said a Malaysian man and a Filipina were also issued with notices to assist the Immigration Department in the investigations.
The Star
21-05-2025
- The Star
Father and son busted for forging Immigration cards and passes
KUALA LUMPUR: A father and son, believed to have forged Immigration passes and cards, have been arrested in a raid on a shop lot in Chow Kit here. It is believed the duo has been operating since early this year under the guise of running a photography and watch shop. Among the cards and passes they allegedly forged are electronic visitor's pass (temporary employment) or PLKS slips, temporary work permits for foreign workers (PLKS) slips, i-KAD, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) worker cards and even Malaysian identity cards. Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said the raid was conducted at about 7pm on Tuesday (May 20) in an operation codenamed Ops Serkap. "The operation involved 15 officers after a month of surveillance and intelligence gathering. "We detained both men, aged 60 and 34, in the raid. "They are suspected of forging documents and cards and selling them to foreigners and foreign worker agents. "The foreigners are from various countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar," he told a press conference at KL Immigration headquarters on Wednesday (May 21). The suspects would communicate with prospective customers via WhatsApp, he added. "Customers will then be asked to provide a passport photo and make payments online or in cash. "They would charge customers between RM60 and RM140, depending on the complexity of each job. "For example, an e-PLKS slip would cost much less than a forged MyKad or MyKid," he said. The items seized in the raid included fake i-KADs, 50 counterfeit e-PLKS slips, forged MyKad and MyKid cards, a card printing machine, 100 blank cards, a photocopier, mobile phones and RM4,000 in cash, he added. "Their fake cards include chips as well as hologram stickers and would appear genuine. "However, when scanned, the cards will not work," he said. "We are not ruling out the possibility that they may have customers from outside the Klang Valley too," he added. The suspects are being investigated for money laundering in addition to Immigration offences, Wan Mohamed Saupee said. "We are checking their bank transactions. We believe they earned big profits from this illegal business," he added.
The Star
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Unlicenced doctor among six foreigners nabbed in Klang Valley Immigration raids
KUALA LUMPUR: Six foreigners, including an unlicensed doctor from Pakistan, were detained in raids on clinics run by illegal foreigners in Sungai Buloh, Shah Alam and Jalan Ipoh. Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the raids were conducted on Monday (May 19) after two weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance. "We arrested the male Pakistani doctor along with three female Myanmar nationals and two other women from Pakistan and India, aged between 23 and 57. "The Pakistani doctor had overstayed. One of the Myanmar nationals had a temporary work permit for foreign workers (PLKS) pass, while another was a holder of a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card. The remaining foreigners did not have any travel documents or valid passes," he said in a statement on Wednesday. Several items were seized, including a log book of patients, a clinic stamp, three foreign passports, mobile phones and uniforms of medical practitioners, he said. "We believe a few of the other foreigners were working as medical assistants or nurses," he added. Syndicate offered medical services, especially to foreigners, at low prices, Zakaria said. "The unlicensed doctor would perform medical checkups only at night. "We believe they had been operating for about a year," he said. Each patient is charged about RM90 and payment for the illegal services could only be made online, he added. "All those detained were brought to the KLIA Immigration depot for further action. "We also issued notices to a Malaysian man and a Filipino woman to come to the Immigration office to assist with the investigation," he said. Zakaria said the department will continue to take stern action against anyone who violates Immigration laws and regulations.
