Union lodges police, MACC reports against BH

PUTRAJAYA:  The Peninsular Malaysia Immigration Services Union has lodged a report each with the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against Berita Harian daily and the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) over the publication of an exclusive report recently.

Union president Khairil Niza Khairuddin said the Nov 15 news report entitled, ‘Immigration Bribed – KLIA and LCCT Route to Smuggle Foreigners’ and a report attributed to MEF president Shamsuddin Bardan under the heading ‘Pay To Expedite’, the following day, had tarnished the immigration department’s image and that of its employees.

Therefore, he said, the police and MACC should investigate the journalist involved, and Shamsuddin on the allegation which questioned the integrity of the immigration department.

“We want the matter to be resolved amicably. We are also giving them 72 hours to lodge their reports, failing which, we will take legal action,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Recently, the newspaper reported that immigration officers at KLIA and LCCT allegedly received bribes amounting to hundreds of thousands of ringgit a month to release foreigners smuggled into the country, using fake documents.

Meanwhile immigration director-general Alias Ahmad has called on all parties to produce evidence on corruption before making allegations that his officers released foreigners smuggled into the country, using fake documents.

He said the parties which made such allegations needed to provide concrete proof as it could jeopardise the morale of immigration department staff who were committed to their duties.

“I consider the report published in the newspaper as an isolated case as there were no official reports on the allegation,” he told reporters after a certificate presentation ceremony to associate editors of Institute of Public Security of Malaysia at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters here yesterday.