KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Police have arrested five immigration officers over suspected involvement in the sabotage of the Malaysian Immigration System (myIMMs) which led to the unmonitored entry of thousands of foreigners into the country.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said they were detained at the KL International Airport (KLIA) on Wednesday.
“We arrested them at the airport and also seized several documents in their possession,” he told reporters at the Police Cooperative’s 81st annual general meeting here yesterday.
Khalid said police were looking for others involved in the scandal.
The arrests come in the wake of the sacking of 15 immigration personnel, suspension of 14, transferring out 63 in sensitive areas and freezing of increments of eight for involvement in the matter.
Malay Mail had on May 18 reported the myIMMS system at KLIA had been sabotaged, leaving the country vulnerable and powerless in monitoring incoming foreigners.
Authorities suspect the online immigration system that screens passengers leaving and entering KLIA had been compromised by “suspicious” breakdowns.
A highly-placed Home Ministry source had been quoted as saying authorities were probing all parties involved in operating myIMMs.
He had said the system may have been deliberately downed, raising suspicion of corruption involved.
He had added that those manning and operating the electronic screening of passengers — from the authorities to airline staff and employees of the system development company — were being investigated.
Last Thursday, police confirmed the mastermind behind the myIMMs system hacking was a Malaysian connected to several local and international human trafficking syndicates.
Local enforcement agencies increased border security following the scandal.
