Malaysian anti-corruption officers have
detained the head of the immigration department along with six other people for
allegations of graft, reports said Saturday.
Immigration Department director-general Wahid Mohamad Don was detained late
Thursday after he was believed to have received 60,000 ringgit (18,180 dollars)
from a deal involving the extension of foreign work permits, the Star daily
quoted sources as saying.
The six other suspects, including two businessmen, were arrested from Tuesday
to Thursday at various locations in the capital Kuala Lumpur.
"We are investigating them for alleged involvement in the issuance of work
permits to foreign workers," said head of investigations in the
anti-corruption agency (ACA), Shukri Abdul.
The official Bernama agency said a labour agent has to pay 350 ringgit (106
dollars) for each foreign worker in order to speed up approval by the
immigration.
Agency officers had seized a total of 500,000 ringgit (151,500 dollars) cash
from all the suspects, including more than 100,000 ringgit (30,300 dollars)
found in the director-general's home.
A magistrate court judge ordered the suspects to be remanded in police custody
for four days to facilitate investigations, the report said.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had pledged to crack down on rampant
corruption in the government after taking office in 2003.
In April, Abdullah announced sweeping reforms to tackle corruption and shake-up
the judiciary, including plans to make the ACA a more independent body, dpa reported.
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