Protect family from falling victim to sham marriages, says immigration DG
PETALING JAYA : The immigration department has told the public to be more vigilant amid growing concerns over sham marriages involving foreign nationals and older local women.
Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said syndicates are targeting vulnerable elderly women to consent to marriage with foreign partners in exchange for thousands of ringgit paid monthly as an allowance, Berita Harian reported.
'We need to raise awareness about this in the community.
'If you have ageing family members, such as a mother or older sister who lives alone, ensure they are not taken advantage of by syndicates offering financial incentives,' he was quoted as saying.
Immigration authorities recently smashed a syndicate believed to be offering immigration services, including applications under the 'foreign spouse of a Malaysian citizen' category, and marriage registration services through the national registration department (JPN).
The syndicate reportedly targeted vulnerable elderly women, often those who were financially dependent or lacked family support.
According to the Malay daily, in most cases, the elderly women were only required to consent to the marriage. In exchange, they received thousands of ringgit every month as an allowance, while the foreign partner used the marriage to obtain legal status in Malaysia.
Zakaria said that while marriages conducted legally and in accordance with Malaysian law are not considered offences, authorities are concerned about the rise in the so-called 'marriages of convenience' that are used to gain residency status.
He also warned that the department will not approve long-term social visit passes if investigations suggest that the marriages were carried out purely for immigration benefits.
'There have been cases of foreign men in their 20s marrying local women in their 60s or 70s. The age gap alone raises suspicion of ulterior motives,' he said.
'If a 25-year-old foreign man marries an elderly woman just to get legal status in Malaysia, that's not a genuine relationship. Immigration will conduct thorough checks to verify the authenticity of such marriages.'
He said these cases, though not new, present an ongoing social concern, especially when elderly individuals are exploited.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Defence in cop's murder trial gets 6 weeks to file new submissions
Senior police officer Nazri Abdul Razak is accused of causing the death of student Zaharif Affendi Zamrie at Jalan Taman Jati 1, near Meru, between 12.05pm and 12.40pm on Dec 15, 2023. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The defence in the murder trial of senior police officer Nazri Abdul Razak, who is accused of killing 17-year-old Zaharif Affendi Zamrie two years ago, has been given a new date to file its submissions. Counsel M Athimulan told the Ipoh High Court that the defence needed to review its previous submissions to focus on another section under the Penal Code that the prosecution is focusing on, Bernama reported. 'Our submissions comprised both Section 300(c) and (d) of the Penal Code, but were more focused on Section 300(c). However, the prosecution's stand now is that they are relying on Section 300(d). 'This creates a need to revise our submissions. In view of that, we are seeking an adjournment to file this new submission, with the court's indulgence, in about six weeks,' he was quoted as saying. Section 300(c) states that culpable homicide is deemed murder if 'done with the intention of causing bodily injury' and if that injury could cause a person's death 'in the ordinary cause of nature'. Meanwhile, Section 300(d) states that it is murder if someone commits an act knowing that it is likely to cause death, even if there was no intention to kill. Judge GSP Bhupindar Singh gave the defence six weeks to file the new submissions, with the prosecution allocated four weeks after that to respond. He fixed Oct 1 and 2 for the full hearing of submissions. The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Afzainizam Abdul Aziz and Nasrul Hadi Abdul Ghani, while the accused was represented by lawyers Athimulan, Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, and Aiman Hakim Kamaruzzaman. Nazri is accused of causing the death of Zaharif, a student, at Jalan Taman Jati 1, near Meru, between 12.05pm and 12.40pm on Dec 15, 2023. The deputy superintendent from the Kedah police contingent headquarters was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or up to 40 years in prison and at least 12 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Nilai cops arrest woman for allegedly attacking boy, 11, at Mantin grocery store
SEREMBAN, July 16 — Police have arrested a 30-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting an 11-year-old boy at a grocery store in the Sri Palma Villa residential area in Mantin yesterday. Nilai district police chief Supt Abdul Malik Hasim said they received a report from a woman at 3.28pm, stating that her son had been assaulted and threatened by a woman known to them while at the grocery store. 'The incident was reported to have occurred around 12.30 pm yesterday, when the boy was buying a drink at the shop and was suddenly attacked by the suspect, who kicked and stomped on the victim's face and legs. 'The suspect is also alleged to have issued a death threat against the victim. The incident was captured on the store's closed-circuit television system and was also witnessed by a customer who was at the scene,' he said in a statement today. Abdul Malik said the suspect was arrested at 10.58pm yesterday, and preliminary investigations revealed she is a holder of a Person with Disability card and is believed to have mental health issues. He said the suspect was believed to have been hallucinating at the time of the incident and accused the boy of stealing items from the premises, although there was no evidence to support the claim. 'The victim received treatment at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Seremban and was found to have swelling on his nose and bruises on several parts of his legs,' he said. The case is being investigated under Section 323 and Section 506 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation. — Bernama
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Melaka cops bust toy shop with over 350 illegal airsoft guns worth more than RM105,000
MELAKA, July 16 — Melaka police seized 351 airsoft pistols, worth more than RM105,000, in a raid on a toy shop in Cheng Technology Park here yesterday. State police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said during the inspection at 10.22am yesterday, police arrested a 42-year-old man who was the caretaker of the premises that had been operating for over a year. He said the fake guns were seized because the trader did not possess a licence to import imitation weapons under Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960. 'The premises previously had a licence to sell imitation weapons, but it had not been renewed, causing police to inspect the premises, and we found fake weapons in the store involved. 'The police will not issue a licence for the sale of toy pistols because they fear buyers may misuse the weapons to commit robbery, extortion or criminal intimidation,' he told reporters at a press conference here today. He said the fake guns were also sold with airsoft pistol bullets, which can cause injuries if misused. He said that although the police have not detected any criminal cases suspected of using these fake pistols that were seized, the raids were committed to curb the sale (of airsoft pistols) as an initial step to curb the dumping of these weapons into the local market and the misuse of these pistols. Commenting further, Dzulkhairi said initial investigations found that the pistols were brought through the country's northern border to be sold in Melaka in person or online at a price of between RM200 and RM300. He also said each pistol was found to have been purchased at a cost price of around RM20 to RM30. He added that the police were also tracking down the business owner for further investigations. — Bernama
