Latest news with #KLIA
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
India-bound passenger nabbed at KLIA with RM127,000 in exotic wildlife
SEPANG, July 29 — A woman was arrested last night after being suspected of trying to smuggle out nine exotic animals, estimated to be worth RM127,000, hidden in luggage at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1. The 39-year-old local, who was travelling to India, was arrested at 9.30 pm after Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) officers conducted a routine baggage check and found nine wild animals in the checked luggage. 'Among the animals seized were four each of suspected siamang and sugar gliders, and one suspected macaque. 'All of these animals are protected species and are believed to be smuggled for illegal international trade,' according to a statement issued by AKPS today. The statement said the woman was taken to the KLIA police station for further investigation. The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716] and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 [Act 686]. — Bernama
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
MACC detains two Penang Airport Immigration officers over ‘counter-setting' scheme
GEORGE TOWN, July 29 — Two Immigration officers have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Penang in a special operation targeting a corruption scheme known as 'counter-setting'. The officers, stationed at Penang International Airport (PIA), allegedly allowed foreign nationals to bypass official Immigration checks and enter the country without proper clearance. A source familiar with the investigation said the two were detained after MACC received information about their role in facilitating unauthorised entry. They were arrested under the MACC Act 2009 [Act 694]. The special operation, which is still ongoing, aims to uncover the modus operandi and network behind the scheme. It is believed that a wider group of personnel may be involved in 'counter-setting', exposing systemic weaknesses at Malaysia's entry points. According to the source, the two officers are now assisting MACC in tracing higher-level links and identifying others connected to the operation. MACC has urged members of the public to report any information related to corruption or abuse of power in both the public and private sectors. Last week, it was reported that an enforcement officer was arrested at Terminal 1 of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for suspected involvement in similar 'counter-setting' activities.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Is KLIA ‘counter setting' a symptom of deeper migrant exploitation? — Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid
JULY 28 — The recent detention of an enforcement officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 has renewed public scrutiny over a clandestine practice known as 'counter setting'. This tactic, where individuals are allowed to bypass formal immigration procedures, raises serious concerns not only regarding border security and official corruption but also about structural vulnerabilities in Malaysia's migration management, labour demands, and institutional accountability. Last November, nearly 50 immigration officers were reassigned following investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into a similar syndicate operating at KLIA. A senior immigration officer, believed to be the mastermind behind the network, is expected to face charges over a human trafficking ring that allegedly facilitated the unlawful entry of foreign nationals without immigration clearance. The act of 'counter-setting' which involves corruption at borders is a well-recognised enabler of both human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies bribery and abuse of power as systemic 'pull factors' that facilitate transnational crime. In this context, 'counter setting' is not just negligence, it is an institutional gateway for illicit entry under the guise of administrative authority. However, criminalising rogue officers should not automatically lead to the assumption that all individuals who passed through these compromised checkpoints are victims of trafficking or knowingly complicit in smuggling. Immigration Department officers inspecting passports of foreign visitors at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in this file photo taken on July 3, 2023. — Bernama pic Trafficking vs. smuggling: Distinct legal frameworks Public discourse frequently conflates 'migration', 'trafficking', and 'smuggling', an issue compounded by certain NGO and academic narratives that generalise irregular movement as either criminal or victimhood, obscuring nuanced legal distinctions. Under both the UN Trafficking Protocol (Palermo Protocol) and Malaysia's Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM), human trafficking consists of three essential elements: act (e.g., recruitment, transportation), means (e.g., coercion, fraud, abuse of power), and purpose (e.g., exploitation such as forced labour or sexual servitude). However, ATIPSOM does not clearly criminalise attempts to traffic nor does it automatically recognise someone as a trafficked person simply because they entered the country irregularly. As studies has established, most trafficking victims enter Malaysia legally which means that they are in possession of valid passport and are even given a 30-day visa free entry if they are from South-east Asian countries. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to establish the key component of 'exploitation' unless it is evidently demonstrated at the border entry. Mere facilitation without evidence of exploitation does not constitute trafficking. By contrast, migrant smuggling involves consensual facilitation of unlawful entry in exchange for financial gain. Once the border is crossed, the smuggling transaction ends. In such cases, the migrant is typically treated as an offender who have breached immigration laws. An individual's status only becomes 'irregular' if immigration officers on arrival fail to stamp or process their entry. This administrative omission does not by itself amount to criminal conduct or evidence of trafficking. This brings us to a critical question: how can authorities establish that the individuals who entered via 'counter setting' were trafficked, smuggled, or simply irregular migrants? Without evidence of coercion or exploitation, these individuals remain at best suspects or irregular entrants. As many of us has experienced, it is extremely difficult for individuals to board international flights to Malaysia without valid travel documents. Multiple layers of checks include immigration clearance at the point of departure, airline document verification, and pre-boarding checks by flight crew. This may not necessarily be the case when entering Malaysia through land. For example, Malaysia's land borders especially in areas such as Rantau Panjang, Sungai Golok, and Wang Kelian are far more porous. In Wang Kelian, a one-kilometre 'no man's land' separates Thai and Malaysian posts, making unsupervised crossings possible. Arrests involving undocumented Myanmar nationals and the unregulated movement of Malaysians into Thailand highlight systemic gaps in surveillance and border management. Labour agents and recruitment networks Malaysia's fluctuating labour policies such as the temporary freeze (and subsequent lifting) on the intake of Bangladeshi workers for example, have created a market of desperation. To fulfil recruitment contracts or avoid refunding fees, unscrupulous agents may resort to corrupt arrangements with enforcement personnel to smuggle workers into the country. One major concern is the licensing regime. In Malaysia, work agents are not required to possess individual licences. Licences are tied to agencies, creating a regulatory blind spot. Some agents operate without registration; others exploit legal platforms while engaging in parallel black-market operations. Disturbingly, many such agents are foreign nationals already residing in Malaysia, which helps them gain the trust of vulnerable migrant communities. Upon arrival, many of these migrants are placed in overcrowded accommodation and squalid conditions. They are also subjected to long hours of work, meagre pay, and minimal legal protection. While exploitative, these conditions do not always rise to the legal threshold of trafficking unless all the trafficking elements are clearly present. Malaysia must move beyond reactive enforcement and address the systemic factors that enable counter setting and migration-related abuse. A rights-based and reform-oriented strategy should include: stricter employer vetting procedures and meaningful penalties for labour exploitation; crackdowns on unlicensed and unscrupulous agents, including those operating under legal facades; enhance institutional oversight across border enforcement agencies to prevent corruption; implement a victim-centred approach that treats irregular entrants as potential victims unless complicity is proven; and ratify the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. As a conclusion, it is evident that the KLIA 'counter setting' scandal is not just about corrupt officers, it exposes systemic cracks in Malaysia's migration governance, labour recruitment processes, and institutional safeguards. While prosecuting offenders is necessary, structural reforms must follow to protect migrants' rights and preserve the integrity of our borders. To strike a balance between national security and human dignity, Malaysia must clearly distinguish between 'victims', 'offenders', and 'irregular migrants' and, above all, recognise the human realities behind each case. *Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid is a Criminologist and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya. She can be reached at [email protected] **This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
MCBA foils attempt to smuggle exotic animals worth RM73,000
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Control and Border Protection Agency (MCBA) has foiled an attempt by a man to smuggle six exotic animals worth RM73,000 to Hyderabad, India. In a statement today, the agency said the local man was arrested in an operation involving its KLIA personnel and the Aviation Security (AVSEC) team at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1. "Acting on intelligence received, two KLIA MCBA officers along with three AVSEC personnel conducted a further inspection of a passenger's luggage. "The suspect was detained at 10pm after he was found attempting to smuggle several exotic animals on flight MH0198 to Hyderabad, India." MCBA said an initial X-ray scan of the luggage revealed suspicious images resembling wildlife. "Further inspection uncovered six wild animals - two silvery langurs (lotong kelabu), two siamangs, and two armadillos - all classified as endangered and protected species under both national and international laws." The agency said the 38-year-old suspect, from Selangor, was detained to assist investigations under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008. "All the seized animals have been handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) for further action," it added. The agency said the effort reflects MCBA's continued commitment to combating wildlife smuggling activities, which threaten the country's biodiversity and tarnish Malaysia's image on the international stage.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
Man nabbed at KLIA trying to smuggle langur, siamang, and armadillo worth RM73,000 to India after suspicious scan
SEPANG, July 27 — A man was arrested last night after he tried to smuggle six exotic animals, estimated to be worth RM73,000, out of the country through Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1. The man, 38, who was travelling to India, was arrested at 10 pm after a team from the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia's (CAAM) Aviation Security Division discovered a pair of silvery langur, siamangs and armadillos each during an enforcement operation. 'Acting on a tip, two AKPS members and three AVSEC members conducted a further search on the baggage of a passenger after initial checks via a scanner machine showed suspicious images resembling wildlife inside. 'The search led to the discovery of six exotic animals,' the AKPS said in a statement today, adding that the animals were seized and taken to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) for further action. 'The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008,' it added. — Bernama
