'Datuk' mastermind behind new Pakistani cartel at KLIA?
B Nantha Kumar
Published: Feb 22, 2025 8:30 AM
Updated: 11:30 AM
Summary
- A source claims a retired former immigration officer - now a Datuk - is the mastermind behind a new Pakistani cartel smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia.
- His son is now working in the Immigration Department, the source says.
- Agents on the ground identify a Pakistani national as one of the most powerful figures in the syndicate.
A former Immigration Department officer, who is now a Datuk, is the mastermind behind the new Pakistani cartel responsible for smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia, according to a source.
“This Datuk is a former immigration officer. After retiring, he began working with Pakistani agents to run syndicates, particularly for the ‘A to B’ project,” said the source who is from the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya.
“Although he is not directly involved, he plays a crucial role for the Pakistani agents by arranging migrant worker quota approvals and handling dealings with the department.
“He even owns several companies that exist only on paper to facilitate the ‘A to B’ syndicate,” the source added, revealing that the Datuk’s son is serving in the Immigration Department as well.
The “A to B” syndicate involves “employers” registering their companies with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), obtaining large quotas for migrant workers, and selling these quotas to third parties at prices ranging from RM4,500 to RM5,500 per worker.
Previously, the migrant worker syndicates involved Bangladesh and China.
However, a recent investigation by Malaysiakini at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) found that the syndicate responsible for smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia is now monopolised by Pakistani agents.
Pakistani agents dominate
A local agent familiar with the syndicate told Malaysiakini that Pakistani agents have begun to dominate KLIA, particularly at Terminal 1.
“This Datuk is a former immigration officer. After retiring, he began working with Pakistani agents to run syndicates, particularly for the ‘A to B’ project,” said the source who is from the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya.
“Although he is not directly involved, he plays a crucial role for the Pakistani agents by arranging migrant worker quota approvals and handling dealings with the department.
“He even owns several companies that exist only on paper to facilitate the ‘A to B’ syndicate,” the source added, revealing that the Datuk’s son is serving in the Immigration Department as well.
The “A to B” syndicate involves “employers” registering their companies with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), obtaining large quotas for migrant workers, and selling these quotas to third parties at prices ranging from RM4,500 to RM5,500 per worker.
Previously, the migrant worker syndicates involved Bangladesh and China.
However, a recent investigation by Malaysiakini at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) found that the syndicate responsible for smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia is now monopolised by Pakistani agents.
Pakistani agents dominate
A local agent familiar with the syndicate told Malaysiakini that Pakistani agents have begun to dominate KLIA, particularly at Terminal 1.
“There are a few reasons why Pakistanis are starting to ‘control’ KLIA. We all know that the government now allows Chinese nationals to use the ‘autogate’ system to enter or leave Malaysia.
“Because of this, agents find it harder to work with Chinese nationals. There’s no reason for agents to ask for money from the Chinese by claiming they need to pay the Immigration Department.
“As for Bangladeshis, we all know there have been many reports about human trafficking involving Bangladeshi nationals coming into Malaysia. As a result, authorities in both countries have tightened entry regulations for Bangladeshis.
“I’m not saying the Bangladeshi syndicates are gone, but the Pakistani syndicates are now more dominant,” the agent said on condition of anonymity.
Passport snooze scandal
Recently, Malaysiakini reported that an immigration officer was reported to the police for possessing 12 foreign passports allegedly linked to the “Fly” syndicate.
According to the report, the officer was involved in the syndicate by handling around 30 passports daily from Pakistani agents, with each “fly” passport fetching RM1,400.
Several agents on the ground identified a Pakistani national known as “Asif” (a pseudonym) as one of the most influential figures among the Pakistani agents.
“There are many agents on the ground, but Asif is one of the most powerful, and he is protected by the Datuk. I don’t know his real name, but among agents and KLIA officers, he is known as Asif.”
Asif is married to a local woman and is living in Malaysia on a social visit pass.
The source added that aside from the “counter setting” and “Fly” syndicates, Asif is also involved in the “A to B” scheme.
“The Datuk sets up companies and obtains quota approvals, while Asif brings in migrant workers from Pakistan,” the agent explained.
Zahid the ‘runner’
According to sources, another Pakistani national, known as Zahid (a pseudonym), is Asif’s right-hand man at KLIA.
“Zahid acts as a ‘runner’ on the ground, finding clients for the ‘Fly’ syndicate. He is the one who handed over the passports to the immigration officer who was recently reported to the police for possessing 12 foreign passports.
“He not only handles Pakistani passports but also works with syndicates involving nationals from Arab and African countries,” the source said.
“One reason he is so influential is that he previously served three years in prison in Malaysia for human trafficking.
“Under Malaysian law, foreign nationals involved in criminal activities are banned from re-entering the country. But Zahid is still here, using a professional pass,” said an agent.
The “Fly” syndicate refers to a scheme that falsifies immigration status, clearing overstayers or blacklisted individuals by using fake exit and entry stamps.
According to sources, another Pakistani national, known as Zahid (a pseudonym), is Asif’s right-hand man at KLIA.
“Zahid acts as a ‘runner’ on the ground, finding clients for the ‘Fly’ syndicate. He is the one who handed over the passports to the immigration officer who was recently reported to the police for possessing 12 foreign passports.
“He not only handles Pakistani passports but also works with syndicates involving nationals from Arab and African countries,” the source said.
“One reason he is so influential is that he previously served three years in prison in Malaysia for human trafficking.
“Under Malaysian law, foreign nationals involved in criminal activities are banned from re-entering the country. But Zahid is still here, using a professional pass,” said an agent.
The “Fly” syndicate refers to a scheme that falsifies immigration status, clearing overstayers or blacklisted individuals by using fake exit and entry stamps.
Previously, immigration officers would secretly take exit stamps to specific locations and stamp passports provided by agents before collecting payments.
Now, syndicates reportedly use immigration officers who personally bring agent-provided passports to counters for official stamping before returning them.
Additionally, Malaysiakini discovered that a cooperative operating in Pahang had sold its migrant worker quotas to Pakistani agents.
According to sources, the Pahang cooperative was granted approval to hire 1,125 migrant workers for the plantation sector.
“However, to my knowledge, the cooperative only employs about 200 migrant workers for its own use.
“The rest of the quota is sold to a migrant worker agency based in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, which then sells it to third parties,” the source said.
The agency is reportedly owned by an Indian national known as George (a pseudonym), who sold nearly all the quotas to Pakistani agents at prices ranging from RM6,400 to RM6,800 per worker.
“In the past, plantation sector quotas were usually sold to Bangladeshi or Indian agents. Now, Pakistani agents are taking over,” the source added.
Going undercover
Malaysiakini has previously reported on this cooperative’s involvement in the “A to B” syndicate.
A Malaysiakini journalist went undercover as an agent and met with a representative of the agency in Kuala Lumpur recently.
During the investigation, at least 200 quotas were found to be available for sale.
Initially, the agent quoted RM6,800 per quota but later reduced the price to RM6,400 after negotiation.
However, when contacted, George denied the allegations.
He claimed that the agency was merely assisting the cooperative in bringing in migrant workers for its plantations.
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