On 20 March 2017, the government revealed that there are three private companies appointed as super-agents to manage the undocumented migrant workers (Pendatang Tanpa Izin, PATI) rehiring process before they are qualified to receive the so-called “free” E-Kad. I estimated that the four-month long rehiring exercise will earn these super-agents about RM500 million in revenue.
All three super-agents have directors who are linked to UMNO.
I want to highlight one of these companies: Bukti Megah Sdn. Bhd.
Bukti Megah Sdn. Bhd. is a relatively new company. According to its website, the company started operation in April 2014. Yet, the company has been appointed as One-Stop Centre by the Home Ministry to process application for migrant workers from Myanmar. (Attachment 1)
With this lucrative contract as a super-agent, the company went on to establish 22 branches throughout Malaysia and one in Yangon, Myanmar.
Subsequently in 2016, Bukti Megah Sdn. Bhd. was also appointed to manage work permit for migrant workers from 15 source countries.
They are also appointed to manage the voluntary repatriation of Myanmar workers.
Who is behind Bukti Megah?
Who is behind Bukti Megah who was appointed a monopolistic super-agent almost immediately after it started operation in 2014 and now is set to receive a cut of the RM500 million from the four-month long “free E-Kad” programme?
A search with SSM showed that the director of Bukti Megah Sdn. Bhd. is one Abdul Halim bin Suleiman. (Attachment 2)
Further investigation revealed that he is Special Officer to Home Minister-cum-Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The last public record stating him as being Special Officer to Home Minister was on 6 January 2017. (Attachment 3)
He was also a former two-term UMNO assemblyman for Puteri Wangsa in Johor from 2004 to 2013.
A clear case of conflict of interest and outright abuse of power
If this is not a clear conflict of interest and even outright abuse of power, I do not know what is: a Special Officer of the Home Minister awarded a highly profitable, monopolistic contract by the Home Ministry itself?
In the whole E-Kad campaign, the Immigration Department, which answers to the Home Minister, issued warnings to employers to register for E-Kad failing which they will be fined upto RM50,000 and/or jail upto 12 months and may even face possible canning.
Being one of the three super-agents appointed to deal with rehiring during the E-Kad campaign, the Immigration Department is obviously doing a great favour to Bukti Megah by threatening to punish delinquent employers who then have no choice but to pay for rehiring service through Bukti Megah.
Furthermore, we have every reason to doubt whether in the past 3 years since 2014, approvals of migrant workers obtained through Bukti Megah is legitimate.
Was there any abuse of power on the part of the boss of Bukti Megah who is a senior officer to the Home Minister, who in turn holds the power to approve migrant workers into Malaysia?
I urge the government to terminate Bukti Megah’s contract with immediate effect and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate this case.
I reiterate my call to establish a Royal Commission of Enquiry on Immigration Reform to deal with the worsening crisis facing our immigration sector today.