'Lembu' And 'Durian' Among Codes Used By Officers At KLIA Allegedly Involved With Syndicate

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Enforcement officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) are believed to be using secret codes such as 'lembu' (cow) and 'durian' in facilitating a syndicate bringing in groups of foreign nationals into the country through a modus operandi known as 'counter setting' or special counter lanes.

According to a source from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the code 'lembu' referred to the bribe payments received from the syndicate, while 'durian' referred to the reward given to enforcement officers at both KLIA terminals who facilitate the entry of foreign nationals.

The source also revealed that the enforcement officers and the syndicate involved used several special code names such as ‘Schoolboy,’ ‘Limau’ (lime), ‘Karpet’ (carpet), ‘Kicap’ (soy sauce), ‘Roti canai,’ ‘Junta,’ and ‘Ayam’ (chicken) to refer to the nationalities of the foreign nationals entering the country through the arranged special counter lanes.

The source said that the involved enforcement officers received lists of names and passport photos of the foreign nationals who would arrive in the country through WhatsApp messages from the syndicate before directing them to specific counters for entry clearance and residency stamps.

“After that, the group of foreign nationals will be allowed to exit and will be picked up by agents from the syndicate to be transported to their respective destinations," the source said.

The source also said that once the entry of the foreign nationals was completed, the syndicate would pay the bribe either in cash or via bank transfer to the accounts of the involved enforcement officers or to accounts of proxies or specific companies within one to two days.

The source added that intelligence had found that the bribes paid to the enforcement officers varied depending on nationality, ranging from RM500 to RM2,500.

This modus operandi involved foreign nationals from countries such as Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, and Yemen, the source said.

Meanwhile, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that an operation was underway at KLIA Terminals 1 and 2 and did not rule out the possibility of arrests to assist in the investigation.

However, he said the foreign nationals who received such special treatment were difficult to trace.

“This is what has led to the increase in undocumented workers in the country. They do not come to visit but to find employment without going through the proper permit application process,” he said.

The media previously reported on the uncovering of a syndicate that brought in foreign workers through the country's entry points without proper checks by authorities, allegedly masterminded by several individuals from enforcement agencies. Twelve individuals have been arrested through the MACC's operation codenamed ‘Op Pump’ conducted at several locations nationwide.

-- BERNAMA