KUALA LUMPUR – The Sabah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a mother and daughter for their alleged involvement in the issuance of IMM13 visit passes for refugees from the Philippines.
Sources said the suspects, in their 50s and 30s, were detained after having their statements recorded at the MACC office here at about 7pm yesterday.
Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin at the Sandakan magistrates court issued a seven-day remand this morning for both suspects, until August 2.
“The duo have been acting as middlemen in managing application extensions for IMM13 visit passes to Filipino refugees who sought refuge in Sabah to escape political unrest in the early 1970s.
“Preliminary investigations found that both suspects have been committing these acts since 2022, which involved bribes amounting to around RM20,000,” said Sabah MACC in a statement.
Meanwhile, Sabah MACC director Datuk S. Karunanithy confirmed the duo’s arrest and said that the case is being investigated under Section 17A of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for soliciting and accepting bribes.
Karunanithy also does not reject the possibility of more arrests being made following the duo’s arrest. – July 27, 2024