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Ahmadul Kobir, Malaysia: The Malaysian authorities have uncovered two separate cases involving allegedly fraudulent immigration documents and the misuse of work permits, highlighting growing scrutiny of foreign workers, employers and intermediaries.
A total of 337 foreign nationals, including 174 Bangladeshis, were detained in two separate Immigration Department operations in Kuala Lumpur and Sepang.
In Kuala Lumpur, 11 Bangladeshis were detained for allegedly producing fake electronic Temporary Employment Visit Passes (e-PLKS) and fraudulent police reports intended for use in passport-related matters involving Bangladeshi nationals.
In a separate operation in Sepang, 173 foreign workers were detained after authorities allegedly found them working under permits registered to companies other than their actual employers.
The two cases are being investigated separately, with authorities examining the immigration status of the workers, the role of employers and subcontractors, and the use and production of immigration and identity documents.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the first operation, codenamed Ops Sarka, was conducted on September 14 at a commercial area along Jalan Chan Sow Lin in Kuala Lumpur and near the Expat Services Kuala Lumpur Centre, an outsourcing facility authorised by the Bangladesh High Commission to provide passport and e-passport services.
The operation began at about 12.50pm and involved simultaneous raids on 11 premises.
Eleven Bangladeshis, aged between 23 and 48, including one woman, were detained. Preliminary investigations allegedly uncovered activities involving the production of fraudulent immigration documents.
According to the Immigration Department, around RM150 was charged for producing each fake e-PLKS, while fake police reports were allegedly prepared for about RM70 each.
During the raids, officers seized 18 laptops, 21 printers and scanners, three mobile phones and 10 international passports belonging to Bangladeshi nationals. Several completed fake e-PLKS documents and police reports were also recovered.
Authorities are investigating whether the fraudulent documents were intended to facilitate passport applications involving Bangladeshi nationals and whether they were used to mislead diplomatic or other relevant authorities.
Investigators are also examining how the 10 Bangladeshi passports came into the possession of those allegedly involved and whether other individuals or organisations were connected to the operation.
A further 19 foreign nationals were detained in the vicinity for alleged immigration offences. They included 16 Bangladeshis, comprising 15 men and one woman, as well as one Myanmar woman and two Indonesian women.
The detainees are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passports Act 1966 and relevant immigration regulations.
In a separate operation in Sepang, immigration authorities uncovered alleged misuse of work permits at an aircraft hangar construction project.
The operation was conducted at an aircraft hangar construction site, warehouses and aircraft engine-testing facilities near an international-standard motorsports centre.
Zakaria said the Putrajaya Immigration Department’s enforcement branch carried out the raid after a week of intelligence surveillance following public complaints.
A total of 88 immigration officers took part in the operation. They inspected 261 people, including 217 foreign nationals and 44 Malaysians.
Following the checks, 173 foreigners aged between 23 and 40 were detained. They comprised 147 Bangladeshis, 17 Indonesians and nine Pakistanis.
According to Zakaria, investigations found that several subcontractors involved in the project had employed foreign workers whose PLKS were registered under other companies.
Some foreigners were also allegedly found to be misusing social visit passes in an attempt to avoid detection.
The detainees were taken to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Immigration Detention Centre for further investigation.
Five Malaysian nationals were issued notices requiring them to appear as witnesses.
Zakaria said the Immigration Department would continue to intensify enforcement and monitoring across various sectors, including construction, transportation, supply chains and aviation-related support services.
He warned that action would be taken against individuals and companies that violate immigration laws, particularly employers involved in hiring, harbouring or protecting undocumented foreign workers without complying with legal requirements.
The two operations have highlighted risks faced by Bangladeshi workers dealing with passports, work permits and other immigration documents.
The cases also underline the potential risks of handing over original passports to brokers or other unauthorised individuals who claim they can resolve immigration or documentation problems.
Foreign workers found working for companies other than those authorised under their permits may also face legal consequences, while employers and subcontractors involved in such arrangements could come under investigation.
Taken together, the operations show that Malaysian immigration enforcement is extending beyond workplace inspections to the wider system involving recruitment, passports, work permits, subcontracting and official immigration documentation.