Syndicate cashing in on Aceh tsunami victims

via Star

By V.P. SUJATA

PUTRAJAYA: The special immigration identity cards issued to the Aceh tsunami victims two years ago expired in November and syndicates have started making fake copies of renewal cards.

Immigration Department director of enforcement Datuk Ishak Mohamed believes that unsuspecting Acehnese, thinking that the cards were legitimate, have paid this syndicate between RM150 and RM200 for each card renewed.

He believes the syndicate that was operating around the Chow Kit and Dato Keramat areas in Kuala Lumpur has made over 30,000 of the renewal cards for the Acehnese as well as for other Indonesians.

He added that the original card was purple while the renewal cards are yellow and can be obtained at a fee of RM90.

The syndicate, said Ishak, was discovered following the arrest of a 38-year-old Indonesian with Malaysian permanent resident status at an apartment in Ukay Perdana Ampang on Wednesday during a joint operation with Rela officers.

In the raid, the officers seized a computer containing false immigration documents; a pen drive with records of those with PR status and Immigration cards; 24 fake Aceh identity cards; two immigration stickers, and Immigration rubber stamps.

Also discovered were a machine to produce the cards, a printer and a scanner.

Ishak said the man, who works with an Acehnese believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate, was found living with his wife and two children aged four (daughter) and five (son) at the apartment.

He could be charged for falsifying documents under Section 56(1)(a) of the Immigration Act which carries a jail sentence of not more than 10 years or fine of RM100,000 or both.

Ishak said about 35,000 Acehnese were issued with the identity card in 2005 allowing them to stay and work in Malaysia without a passport or work permit after the tsunami hit Aceh on Dec 26, 2004.

"The card was valid for two years only and they were required to renew it for another one year," he said, adding that 24,000 of them had renewed their cards before the expiry in November while the status of the rest was unknown.

The expiry date for the renewal cards would be November next year, he said.

Ishak urged those who had yet to renew their cards to do so with the Immigration Department and not through a middleman.

Those who do not renew their cards would be deemed having committed an offence of overstaying. If found guilty, they could be fined RM3,000.

They would also be deported, he said, adding that those who want to live and work legally for longer periods in Malaysia were still required to return to Aceh to apply for passports and work permits.

He also called those who had been cheated by the syndicate to come forward and get their valid cards.