This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 16, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Fraudulent approvals were found in the existing Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) for foreign workers’ quota through manipulation.

In the findings of the Federal Ministries/Departments section under the Auditor-General’s Report 2018 Series 1, audit analysis results showed a quota of 32,424 to employ foreign workers was created and approved to 123 employers, and first-time levy payments amounting to RM40.79 million were done in an unorganised and dubious manner.

It was also found that of the 32,424 quota, 21,378 foreign workers had obtained a temporary foreign worker permit.

The estimated audited first-time levy payment to be collected from the 21,378 foreign workers would amount to RM24.55 million, said the report.

As an immediate action, the Immigration Department of Malaysia has blacklisted the concerned companies.

Moving forward, the development of a new system — the Immigration Integrated System — is being implemented, taking into account the elements of security control.

Meanwhile, a full report on hacked identity documents was submitted to the director-general of the immigration department on April 25, and meetings with police on cyber crime and multimedia investigation started on March 7, said the report.