STRINGENT CHECKS VITAL TO WEED OUT SCAMMERS

Authorities must check their length of stay, itinerary, hotel details and even suspicious body language, says crime analyst

THE authorities need to conduct more stringent checks on visitors coming into the country to curb illegal activities and crimes such as scams.

Crime analyst Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar yesterday said Immigration officers must do their job to ensure that visitors came here as tourists and were not used by crime syndicates with ulterior motives.

“These include finding out their real purpose of visiting, length of stay, itinerary and hotel details.”

He said the Immigration Department must place high integrity officers at entry points, as well as those who could read body language so that they could detect suspicious visitors.

“The officers must be welltrained and rotated every three years, especially at high-risk entry points,” he said, adding that they should not take their jobs lightly as the syndicates would take advantage of the slightest weakness in enforcement.

Akhbar said enforcement agencies must be strict and take action against those involved in illegal activities.

“Heavy punishments must be imposed to serve as a lesson to others.”

He said many Malaysians were deported by countries that had strict border entry procedures.

“They were deported when their purpose of stay raised questions. Hence, we should do the same to prevent this country from becoming a choice destination for scammers.

“Their presence (the scammers) will mar the country’s image.”

On Wednesday, the Immigration Department nabbed 680 people, including 77 women, aged between 19 and 35, believed to be China nationals, in a raid on the largest investment scam syndicate headquarters in Cyberjaya.

The department’s director-general, Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud, had said the suspects were believed to have been involved in online investment scams for the past six months, targeting those in China by promising them quick high returns (of their investments).

He said the department had yet to get information on the number of victims and amount of investments.

In the raid on the premises which was rented at RM360,000 a month, Immigration officers seized 8,230 mobile phones, 174 laptops and 787 personal computers, in accordance with provisions stipulated under the AntiMoney Laundering Act 2001.

Universiti Teknologi MARA Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies fellow Dr Nuurrianti Jalli said there were ways to deal with scams in the country, such as improving cybersecurity infrastructure and providing training for enforcement officers.

On how Malaysia had emerged as a choice destination for scammers from China, Nuurrianti said it was due to socioeconomic factors.

“Our relatively relaxed Immigration procedures encourage people from China and Africa to come.

“If you look at those arrested during the recent operation in Cyberjaya, many of them came on tourist visas.

“Some locals are willing to turn a blind eye to suspicious activities by renting out their properties to China nationals.

“The Chinese have the money to spend. To them, staying in Malaysia is not that expensive.

“Cyberjaya itself has been dubbed unofficially as ‘Chinatown’ as there are many visitors from mainland China in the area,” she told the New Straits Times.

Nuurrianti, however, said syndicates had taken advantage of the diplomatic ties between Malaysia and other countries.

“We do have enough regulations to mitigate this problem.

“However, due to our diplomatic relationships with certain countries, syndicates are taking advantage of the relaxed policies.

“We have to revisit some of our policies and impose stricter laws for repeat offenders.”

She said Malaysians must be more proactive by reporting suspicious activities involving foreigners to relevant agencies.

“Malaysians have to be more alert to such activities and help the authorities to defeat such syndicates as well as boost cybersecurity awareness.”