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Friday, April 22, 2022

The telltale signs of a scam, Macau scams: Spot, avoid and report scammers; It’s all in the details

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Victim usually fall prey due to fear, naivety or greed

Fear, naivety and greed may have caused victims to fall prey to scammers who cheat them of thousands of ringgit, says MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.

He said aside from making phone calls, scammers would also write to the victim or even meet them in person.

“They claim to be government officers and they want you to park the money (temporarily) and you can take it back later – so the money will not be confiscated,” he said while elaborating on how some victims were conned.

“Are there such people who are kind enough to ask someone to hide their money? When I asked, the victims could not answer me,” he added.

Chong said some victims revealed that the scammers who claimed to be government officers had spoken to them in Mandarin, which is uncommon as the medium of instruction used by civil servants is either Bahasa Malaysia or English.

Some of them have also received calls after office hours, which is out of the norm.

“They will frighten victims by saying that they have been charged with money laundering or their property will be confiscated. Many victims get duped because they are scared.

“Let me ask one thing: if you have not done something wrong, then why are you scared? The conmen will know that you have done something wrong from the way they talk to you, and they will scam you further,” he added.

Chong said most of the victims will be told not to divulge any information to their family.

He cited a case where the scammer had accompanied the elderly victim to the bank to withdraw money. They would, however, wear a cap or sunglasses to ensure they cannot be identified or captured by CCTVs. The scammers would also address the victim as their parent to avert suspicion.

He said some victims were told not to cut the (phone) call until the “job” was done, and this could sometimes stretch for hours.

As for those who were lured with the promise of big prizes, Chong noted that simple logic applied here.

“If you didn’t buy any lottery ticket, how do you expect to strike the lottery?” he said.

There is also no clear demographic of scam victims.

“Age is not a factor but of course elderly victims are easier to target,” he said.

Chong also said banks should also be alert when elderly citizens are seen withdrawing huge amounts at one go.

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 Macau scams: Spot, avoid and report scammers

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KUALA LUMPUR: Despite constant reminders and notifications, people are still being duped by Macau Scams.

Last year, 1,585 Macau scam cases were reported nationwide resulting in RM560.8mil in losses.

This year, the number has already reached 1,258 cases between Jan 1 and April 19, involving RM65.4mil in losses.

ALSO READ: Got your EPF money? Beware the scammers

The Macau Scam modus operandi often starts with a phone call from someone pretending to be an officer from a bank, government or law enforcement agency or debt collector.

The scammer will then claim that the potential victim owes money, has an unpaid fine or has even been implicated in a crime.

The victim will then be given a choice to settle the matter – by transferring his funds to a mule account designated by the “officer” or by facing “dire consequences”.

These unsuspecting victim will then be asked to make payments to get him off the hook.

Hundreds of millions of ringgit have been lost to these scammers, who pose as officers from government agencies such as the police, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and even the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

ALSO READ: It's all in the details

The range of victims have also expanded to include those in the professional line such as doctors and lawyers.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Asst Comm Mohd Mahidisham Ishak said several factors may address why Macau scam cases are still occurring.

“We believe it is a combination of a few things.

While we have conducted various campaigns to increase awareness, it could be that the message has not reached society thoroughly.

“We have utilised various platforms, including social media and public transport to spread more awareness on Macau scams.

“We will step up such campaigns to include having talks in schools to ensure that knowledge on such scams reach the masses,” said ACP Mohd Mahidisham.

Changes in the scammers’ modus operandi might have also contributed to such cases still occurring, ACP Mohd Mahidisham added.

“Scammers have posed as officers from the police force, Customs department, BNM and LHDN in the past.

“As mentioned in the past, scammers also used the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to mask their phone numbers.

“We hope the public will remain vigilant against such tactics,” he said.

ALSO READ: Recent cases of Macau scams tell a sorry tale

Victims not informing family members or authorities due to embarrassment could be another factor for such cases, he lamented.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham is also concerned that such scam methods have become more elaborate.

“Usually, the harassment by the scammers will last between one to two hours.

“However, since last month, we have been recording cases where the victims were harassed for about a week. It is important for family members to act if they spot any changes or peculiar actions (faced by the affected family member),” he said.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham also reminded the public that agencies such as the police do not conduct investigations over the phone.

“Witnesses or those who can assist the investigation will be required to make an appointment so that their statements will be recorded at the police station or headquarters.

“Don’t be fooled by such calls ... better yet, if you do not recognise the phone number, do not answer the call,” he stressed.

The public should never divulge any banking details to a third party, he added.

“Banking details should be kept safe. Don’t register the phone number of others for your bank account,” he said.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham urged those with enquiries to contact the CCID Scam Response Centre at 03-26101559/1599, Whatsapp the CCID info-line at 013-2111222, or log on to semakmule.rmp.gov.my.

“Utilise the facilities that we have prepared for the public.

“Preventing and busting scams, especially Macau scams, remain our priority,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Invesigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din recently said Macau scam syndicates were using a new tactic to target Tabung Haji account holders.

“We have recorded 65 cases amounting to RM3.6mil in losses already recorded.

“Based on investigations, these activities are being conducted by Macau scam syndicates.

“They would make calls to the victims and intimidate the victims with allegations of involvement in criminal activities and outstanding credit card debts among other tactics,” he said.

He said the syndicates would then ask for the victims to disclose their banking information to clear them of any wrongdoing.

“We have now detected cases where the syndicates have withdrawn money from Tabung Haji accounts linked to conventional bank accounts belonging to the victims.

“The convenience of Internet banking facilities by Tabung Haji and other conventional banks has made this possible,” he said, adding that investigations revealed the victims had provided banking information to unknown individuals over the phones.

He said as a result, the victims not only lost money from their bank accounts but also money from their pilgrimage fund accounts.

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Macau scams: It’s all in the details

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PETALING JAYA: Well-choreographed storylines backed with the victims’ personal information and the ability to instil fear over possible repercussions from the authorities – these are some of the reasons many are still falling for Macau scams despite wide media coverage.

Hafishah Ab Hamid, 37, who lost over RM30,000, said she was pressured into believing her identity was stolen, which not only caused her to have RM40,000 in income tax arrears with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), but also “a wanted person notice” for her involvement in money laundering and drug trafficking.

ALSO READ: Got your EPF money? Beware the scammers

She received a letter purportedly from LHDN before receiving a phone call on March 29.

“I was hesitant at first, but I was transferred to a ‘Sarjan Nadia’ who asked me to Google ‘Kota Baru police station’. She said I would receive a call from that number and I did, which is when I started to fall for the scam.

“This ‘Sarjan Nadia’ then called ‘Bukit Aman’ to check if I was involved in other activities ... the background noises were realistic – you could hear sirens, people yelling ‘emergency case’, and then an officer from ‘Bukit Aman’ informed me that I was involved in money laundering and drug trafficking.

“I started to panic, but she told me to not inform anyone, not even my husband.

“She said to imagine how my husband and children would feel if they knew,” she added.

ALSO READ: Recent cases of Macau scams tell a sorry tale

During the four-hour conversation, Hafishah was also transferred to “Datuk ACP Zul”, who was supposed to clear her name and suspend an arrest warrant issued in her name.

“‘Datuk ACP Zul’ asked for information on my bank accounts, and I told him everything, including my ASB (Amanah Saham Bumiputra) details. He told me to transfer my (ASB) money to my bank account so that they could check if the money was obtained legally,” she said.

The so-called Datuk ACP Zul also sent her an Android Package (APK) file, which is the file format used by the Android operating system for the installation of mobile apps.

“When I installed the app, a Bank Negara Malaysia logo appeared and I had to provide details such as my bank, full name, identification number, user name and password.

“I didn’t suspect anything at that time because I had just transferred my money (from ASB) to my account and I saw that my balance was RM32,000.

“I didn’t think I was being cheated because I didn’t transfer money to their account, but what I didn’t know was that they transferred my money to another account,” said Hafishah.

It is understood that the app she installed allowed the scammer to access her phone and obtain her information, which included her Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) security number.

“I didn’t get back my money – I was told that they transferred my money in stages so it is very difficult to trace (it). Bank Negara said they couldn’t freeze the scammer’s bank account.

“The scammer contacted me the next day. I informed the police, but I was told to just block their number.

“So I feel sad because even though we have their number and they are actively using it, nothing can be done to trace them,” she said, adding that she hopes others will educate themselves and not fall for such scams.

ALSO READ: Spot, avoid and report scammers

Nurul Najwa Ibrahim, 23, was in confinement when she received a call from “Pos Laju” on March 10, claiming that she posted illegal items – bank and identifications cards – and these were held up at the Kuantan police station.

“The caller said I needed to lodge a police report because perhaps someone was using my personal information. When I said that I didn’t post anything, and he asked me to press ‘9’ before I was transferred to a ‘Corporal Nasir Ahmad’,” she said.

To convince her, Najwa was asked to Google the Kuantan police station phone number and she was told to expect a call from that number.

“‘Corporal Nasir’ gave (me) two options: they would issue an arrest warrant or I could cooperate.

“He sent me a bank account number and instructed me to bank in RM3,000 so he could check the source of my money.

“After a while, I thought to myself, how could they check if my money came from illegal means unless they had my bank statement? That was when I realised that I had been duped.

“But the fact that they knew my full name, my identification number and they called me using the same number as the one I Googled made me believe that they were genuine,” said Najwa.

She said she hopes that the authorities would do more to curb this scam menace.

“The public should be wary – don’t be afraid even if they claim that they have ‘police cases’ on us,” she added.

Desperate to get a new car, Mazura Mat Esa, 41, ended up falling into depression after being manipulated by a scammer on March 25.

“I saw an advertisement on an online marketplace and contacted the seller who claimed he had submitted my loan application to Maybank the same night.

“The next day, a ‘Maybank officer’ calling himself ‘Maran’ phoned and said he would help expedite the bank process for RM2,000.

“The way he spoke was so convincing and he could answer all my questions,” she said.

Mazura transferred a total of RM5,000 as “processing fees” and to book a licence plate number.

Until today, she still hasn’t received her dream car.

 

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Be advised of checking first, not to fall victim to love or parcel scam thru social media

 

BALIK PULAU: If you fall in love with someone on social media and that someone needs financial help and gives you bank account numbers to send money to, there is one way to check if you might be ensnared in a love scam.

“The public is advised to check the account numbers through the Royal Malaysia Police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department website  (https://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule) or download the Check Scammers CCID app through Google Play before making transactions,” said Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Kamarul Rizal Jenal.

You can also key in your online lover’s telephone number to check if the number was used to dupe anyone.

The checking system is available in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil.

Supt Kamarul urged the public to always be careful and not fall victim to love or parcel scam syndicates through social media.

He gave this advice after a 47-year-old businesswoman here became RM74,000 poorer after sending money to her “American boyfriend” whom she had met on social media.

The woman came to her senses and lodged a police report on Thursday night.

“The victim met the suspect on Facebook in April.

“The suspect claimed to be from the United States and experiencing a financial crisis related to an excavation project in Italy.

“He told the victim he needed money to repair the site of the excavation project.

“The victim, who had known the suspect for just a month, believed him and transferred RM74,000 through seven transactions to two local bank accounts provided by the suspect.

“The victim finally realised that she was scammed after telling a friend about the incident.

“She found out that the suspect’s profile pictures were used on several fake Facebook accounts and lodged a police report,” Supt Kamarul said in a statement yesterday.

The case will be investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

Source link  

 

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On the hunt for website scammers | The Star

 

Shopee and Lazada: Online purchasing agent job offer is a scam

 

Here’s how Macau scammers conned Malaysians out of RM256mil this year

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Watch out for WhatsApp scammers


WhatsApp Tips: How to clear WhatsApp cache when you are running low on phone memory

 

Hello, Penang police calling ... Macau Scammers reap RM2.7mil 

 

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Top spammers and scammers in Malaysia by anti-spam mobile app Truecaller

Here’s how Macau scammers conned Malaysians out of RM256mil this year 

 

Johor Coronation


Saturday, August 25, 2018

1MDB scandal: Cops charge Lows, How Low will Jho go? He proclaims innocence!

Credit: The Edge

'He helped, among others, bring down a government that had ruled for 61 years, helped bring criminal charges against a former premier and friend, and catalyzed the return of a 93 year old man to power... - S. Jayasankaran'

 

https://youtu.be/txYy9oVWGCw
Headline News

Cops file charges against the Lows  


KUALA LUMPUR: Police have filed criminal charges against businessman Low Taek Jho and his father for offences under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 over money allegedly stolen from 1Malay­sia Development Bhd (1MDB).

A source said the charges were filed in absentia by the police with the sanction of the Attorney Gen­eral’s Chambers at the Putrajaya Sessions Court yesterday morning.

According to the charge sheets made available to The Star, Low – also known as Jho Low – is facing eight counts of money laundering.

In the first, second and third charges, the 37-year-old allegedly received US$261,449,960 from unlawful activities into his BSI Bank Limited account.

In the fourth to eighth charges, he allegedly transferred €41,100,073.22 and US$140,636,225.10 into the account of World View Limited, Caymans Island, in Caledonian Bank Limited, Caymans Island.

The offences were allegedly committed at BSI Bank Limited, No.7, Temasek Boulevard, #32-01 Suntec Tower One, Singapore, between Dec 26, 2013, and June 3, 2014.

Jho Low’s father Tan Sri Low Hock Peng, 66, also faces a charge of money laundering where he allegedly transferred monies from unlawful activity amounting to US$56,449,980 from his bank account into his son’s BSI Bank Limited account.

He allegedly committed the offence at the same BSI Bank Limited on Feb 4, 2014.

All the charges were under Section 4(1)(a) of the Act, which carries a fine up to RM5mil, imprisonment for a term up to five years, or both, upon conviction.

The source said police also applied for warrants of arrest for Jho Low and his father.

The source said a portion of the money was used to purchase the luxury yacht Equanimity, which was seized by Malaysia two weeks ago.

Under Section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code, an absent person with no immediate prospect of arrest may be tried by the court for an offence in his absence.

In a related development, Inspec­tor-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the new charges enabled the Royal Malaysia Police to obtain new warrants of arrest for Jho Low and his father.

“From there, we will ask Interpol to issue a fresh Red Notice alert on the duo. The Red Notice will seek the cooperation of relevant countries in tracking down the wanted persons,” he told The Star.

The Red Notice will also expedite the extradition process, which will be handled by the Attorney General’s Chambers, and to bring the duo back to Malaysia, he said.

“Our priority has always been to track them down and detain them as soon as possible,” he added.

Based on the charge sheets seen by The Star, journalists visited Jho Low’s family home in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, but no one appeared to be home.- The Star.

 Statement by Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd


Despite being owners of the yacht in question, Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd. has received no legally valid notice of any filing related to a Sale Pendente Lite, nor any notice of a pending court hearing in the matter. This would be a requirement under law.

We also note that there are ongoing proceedings before U.S. courts – including a U.S. appellate court – regarding the ownership and custody of the asset, with active requests filed before a U.S. judge within the past 24 hours. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a filing in the U.S. court less than one week ago. For Malaysia to act unilaterally while there are pending court requests in the U.S. would be an affront to the international rule of law. In fact, Malaysia’s seizure of the vessel is already contrary to a U.S. court order appointing the U.S. Government as custodian of the yacht.

The U.S. has previously stated that it had no advance knowledge of Malaysia’s seizure of the yacht, and presumably the U.S. had no advance notice of this current Malaysian action either. It is important to note that, despite conflicting statements coming out of the Malaysian government, the U.S. has not proven its case regarding the Equanimity. The U.S. has only filed unproven allegations in court proceedings, after which the U.S. put the entire case on hold over Claimants’ objections. The result of that is that no party has been able to substantively respond to the allegations, and nor has the U.S. been required to prove them.

In addition, it is indisputably clear that Malaysia’s seizure of the vessel and apparent intent to immediately sell it goes entirely against the interests of the yacht and will drastically reduce – indeed, it is already drastically reducing – its potential sale value. Due to the Malaysian government’s precipitous, ill-conceived, and misguided actions, the yacht is running 24 hours per day, 7 days a week on generator power, which is unsustainable and harmful to the vessel. Moreover, Malaysia has currently docked the yacht in a hazardous environment in which toxins such as water pollution and nearby smoke are greatly damaging it. Because Malaysia apparently does not have – or does not want to spend – the necessary funds to properly maintain the vessel while it is prepared for a value-maximizing sale, Malaysia has instead proposed a “fire sale,” in which the yacht is to be sold for a fraction of its true value.

To move for a sale in Malaysia immediately would be a remarkable violation of due process and international legal comity and would call into question the actual ownership of the yacht for any potential buyer. These misguided actions would create a cloud on the Equanimity’s ownership that could easily take years to resolve in several courts around the world.

Tsuey Shan Ho
Account Manager
cid:image001.png@01D37B19.DFA09BC0Tel +44 (0)20 7092 3992



How Low will Jho go?

Superyacht: A file picture showing seized luxury yacht Equanimity being brought to the Boustead Cruise Terminal in Port Klang on Aug 7. — Reuters
A man who has never gone to school may steal from a railcar but a man who has gone to a university may steal the entire railroad –- former US President Theodore Roosevelt

FUGITIVE businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, 38, has described Malaysia’s legal proceedings to quickly sell the Equanimity superyacht as a vindictive “sham”.

According to the rotund reprobate, it was a sham because the boat’s ownership was also being contested in the courts of the United States so the ‘hasty” Malaysian admiralty hearing was, at best, iffy.

But what the corpulent conman seemed not to want to concede was that both governments agreed – unequivocally, unarguably and emphatically – that the yacht was not his to roam the oceans with.

They both agreed that the RM1bil boat was bought with monies that were skimmed out of a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.

Our man Jho has since been keeping a low profile, so low that no one seems to know where the fat fugitive is.

You might say he was distracted: the bulging bandit even left a multi-million dollar private jet back in Singapore and he hadn’t even complained, once, of the uncivil way the authorities just left it out in the sun for over nine months!

In this case, however, the pudgy pirate brought forth his spokespeople to complain about the way the yacht was kept “under the sun” in polluted waters, and with its batteries running 24/7. In short, it was not being treated as a superyacht should have been.

He should be consistent and set forth similar arguments about his private jet. Did I forget to mention that Singapore issued a warrant of arrest for him way back when?

In fairness to our man Jho, he has maintained that he has not stolen anything at all and all the money was his family’s inheritance to begin with.

The problem with that is that at least three countries – the US, Malaysia and Singapore – disagree with its reasoning. Another problem would be his absence from places where people want to ask him hard questions.

It is said that a fool and his money are soon parted. But Fat Boy and Other People’s Money was soon partying and the money seemed endless.

Mario Puzo, the author of the Godfather, put it like this: “A lawyer with a briefcase can steal millions more than a hundred men with guns.”

Let’s face it. He lived, what the Eagles called, Life in the Fast Lane.

He had a private jet and a superyacht.

He had palatial homes all over the world.

He dated Hollywood actresses.

He helped bankroll a Hollywood blockbuster.

He helped bring down a government that had ruled for 61 years, helped bring criminal charges against a former premier and friend, and catalysed the return of a 93 year old man to power.

He may have had more citizenships than Caesar.

And – wonder of wonders - he had no official position in 1 Malaysia Development Bhd. His name must surely resonate in future history books.

Breaking news! Just got word that Fat Boy and his father have been charged by the Attorney General’s Chambers for money laundering offences involving RM1bil, funds that were allegedly used to buy the yacht.

This will make Malaysia the first country to charge our man Jho. Not bad for an Attorney General who was said to “know nothing” of criminal law.

Now we know why they say money launderers are filthy rich.

What will the dodgy deviant say now?

Catch me if you can?

By S. Jayasankaran

Related posts:

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Saturday, August 12, 2017

Penang exco man held in graft probe for abuse of power





https://youtu.be/TpHEBW1dEmM



https://youtu.be/i28FwI4tlV4

Arrest linked to illegal operation of carbon filter factory in Bukit Mertajam


For 10 years, a factory has been illegally burning sawdust to produce carbon for filters, forcing villagers and schoolchildren in parts of Bukit Mertajam to breathe dust-laden smoke every day. The matter has now flared up with the arrest of Penang exco man Phee Boon Poh and two of the factory’s directors by the MACC. All three are set to be remanded today.

GEORGE TOWN: An illegal carbon filter processing factory has become a burning issue in Penang with the arrest of state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh and two factory di­­rectors by graft-busters from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis­­sion (MACC).

All three are expected to be remanded today.

The factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu in Bukit Mertajam was in the news on Wednesday when MACC officers raided its premises and seized several documents.

Yesterday, a team of five MACC officers raided Phee’s office at Level 53 in Komtar at about 11.30am and took away more documents.

Phee, who chairs the state Wel­­fare, Caring Society and Envi­­ron­­ment Committee, was asked to report to the Penang MACC headquarters in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. He was arrested at 3.30pm when he turned up at the MACC building.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said Phee was detained under Section 23 of the MACC Act for abuse of power.

The section provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

The 66-year-old Phee was brought back to his house in Butterworth at about 5pm in his car and escorted by two MACC vehicles. It is learnt that he packed some personal be­­longings from his house before lea­­ving for the state MACC headquarters at 7.05pm.

The MACC also arrested a 70-year-old man and his 37-year-old son, the manager and director of the factory, at 6.05pm and 6.35pm respectively.

The two were summoned to the state MACC headquarters to give their statements before they were detained.

Lawyer R.S.N. Rayer, who accompanied Phee to the Penang MACC headquarters, said the exco man was asked to meet MACC officers after 2pm.

“I was informed that they (MACC officers) went to his office and took some documents including letters that he wrote. They wanted to re­­cord his statement regarding the documents.

“He gave his full cooperation and presented himself at the MACC office. I am surprised that he was arrested,” he said before leaving the state MACC building at about 4.30pm.

Earlier, the five MACC officers spent more than an hour in Phee’s office.

Shortly after they left, Phee and four assistants walked out of the office.

Phee declined to comment on the raid.

He is the second member of the current Penang state administration to be arrested by the MACC.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was arrested in June last year over the purchase of a RM2.8mil bungalow in Pinhorn Road.

He was subsequently charged with using his position as the Chief Minister of Penang to gain gratification for himself and his wife, Betty Chew Gek Cheng, by approving the application for conversion of agriculture land to a public housing zone in south-west Penang to the com­­pany, Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd.

He allegedly committed the of­­fence while chairing the Penang State Planning Committee meeting at the operations room in the Komtar building on July 18, 2014.

The charge under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Lim faces a second charge of using his position to obtain a plot of land and a bungalow located at No 25 Jalan Pinhorn, George Town, on July 28, 2015, from businesswoman Phang Li Koon for RM2.8mil, a price which he allegedly knew did not commensurate with the property’s market value at the time of RM4.27mil.

The charge, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, provides for a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Late last night, Lim was among several DAP leaders and members who turned up outside the state MACC headquarters to stage a candlelight vigil in support of Phee.

Source: The Star by crystal chiam shiying, chong kah yuan, lo tern chern, andlogeiswary thevadass

10 years of smoke in the eyes for villagers




BUKIT MERTAJAM: For about 10 years now, the villagers of Kampung Sungai Lembu have been forced to breathe air laden with pollutants. Children going to school at SJK(C) Kampung Sungai Lembu also have had to put up with the thick dust.

The air is thick with a burning smell from the processing activities at an illegal carbon filter processing factory, just 1km away from the school.

The 5,000sq-m factory, about the size of a football field, has piles upon piles of sawdust, much of it burning in deep pits.

The tall chimneys spout white pollutant-filled smoke into the air which is carried to the nearby villages by the slight breeze.

A source from the Department of Environment revealed that the factory also did not have an air pollution control system.

Kampung Sungai Lembu Deve­lop­ment and Security Committee chairman Tan Sing Lee, 58, said the factory also carried out open burning of sawdust to produce carbon.

“Every time the wind blows our way especially in December, the air is polluted. At night, the air is foggy and villagers complain about the smell,” he said.

“We reported the matter to Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin but no action was taken in the past two years,” he said.

The factory is also situated inside an oil palm estate, on land designated for agriculture.

Tan claimed a man in his 30s died in 2015 after he fell into one of the pits while filling it with sawdust.

A check by The Star at the factory yesterday found 20 pits, each measuring about 3m across. The pits were filled with burning sawdust and there was smoke everywhere. The sawdust is burnt to produce carbon which is then used in filters.

Permatang Pauh Umno chief Da­­tuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said claimed there may have been people in­­volved in covering up the issue before the raid on the factory by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis­­sion (MACC) on Thursday.

“Several reports have been lodged against the factory.

It is impossible for the Seberang Prai Municipal Council to not be aware of it,” he said during a press conference in Kampung Sungai Lembu.

Also present was Parti Cinta Malaysia deputy president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan.

PKR rep Norlela glad over action against illegal factory

 

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penan­ti’s PKR assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin (pic) is pleased that action is finally being taken by the MACC over an illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu.

Dr Norlela said she raised the issue of the carbon filter processing factory more than two years ago. “The villagers told me about their concerns in February 2015. I raised the matter at the state assembly sitting but no ac­­tion was taken for two years,” she said.

It was in November that Dr Norlela broke down and sobbed uncontrollably at the assembly, clai­­ming the state government had failed to respond to her queries.

She lamented then that she had complained of many woes like illegal factories, frequent flooding and the lack of infrastructure like roads and proper jetties for fishermen.

“Early this year, before the state assembly sitting, villagers handed me an 18-page petition, appealing for the factory to be closed as they claimed it was affecting their health.

“It was also found that the factory was not operating according to guide­­­­lines,” she said yesterday.

In May, her allocation was withheld after she did not show up at the Yang di-Pertua Negri’s swearing-in ceremony.

Earlier this month, she complained that funds collected for flood mitigation had not been used to help her constituents.

“In Penanti alone, there are nine flood-prone areas that could greatly benefit from these funds,” she re­­portedly said, citing the Auditor Ge­­­ne­­ral’s Report 2016 Series 1 which revealed that the Seberang Prai Municipal Council had only used RM2.2mil of RM63.39mil collected from 2008 to June 2016.

Dr Norlela is among several as­­sem­­blymen who have been at loggerheads with the state leadership, often criticising it for not carrying out its duties or for not caring about the environment,

Last month, she praised the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT project and took a swipe at the Penang Transport Master Plan by comparing the construction cost of both projects in a video she posted on social media.

DAP's lone ranger faces his biggest test


GEORGE TOWN: Two-term Pe­­nang executive councillor Phee Boon Poh, 66, gained fame as a vocal opposition leader when he took on 38 Barisan Nasional representatives in the state assembly when he was the sole DAP assemblyman from 2004 until 2008.

Despite being overwhelmed, the “lone ranger” raised many issues.

Although PAS was represented by Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman, it was Phee who questioned the policies of the state administration headed by Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Phee began his political career by winning the Bagan Jermal state seat in 1990, only to lose it to Barisan’s Tan Sri Dr Sak Cheng Lum in 1995.

In 1999, he contested the Sungai Puyu seat but lost to Barisan’s Loo Ah Dee. In 2004, he wrested it from Loo with a 607-vote majority.

In 2008, he retained his state seat with a 9,201-vote majority and was appointed state Welfare and Caring Society chairman.

He later took over the environment portfolio from state exco member Chow Kon Yeow.

In the 2013 general election, he beat MCA’s Sum Yoo Keong by 16,207 votes.

Phee is a distant relative of businesswoman Phang Li Koon, who has been charged with abetment in the two corruption cases against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

MACC probes Phee’s letters - Directing council to 'stay away' under investigation

Phee Boon Poh mobbed by the media after he was remanded in George Town. — ZAINUDIN AHAD and ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

PENANG: The Malaysian Anti-Corrup­tion Commission (MACC) is investigating two letters, which appear to have originated from state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh, asking that no action be taken against an illegal factory.

The letters, written in 2015 and 2016, directed the Seberang Prai Municipal Council from shutting down the carbon filter-processing factory which had been operating illegally for the past 10 years.

The MACC is also investigating whether Phee or his officials had authorised the letters telling the council to back off.

As Phee and two of the company’s directors were remanded yesterday, the MACC is expected to call up a DAP state assemblyman for questioning.

The MACC is believed to be investigating the role of this state assemblyman in the case.

It is understood that MACC is also probing the relationship between Phee and the factory owners.

It wants to find out how the factory could operate openly despite complaints from the villagers nearby.

“The illegal factory is on an agro-based land. (We want to know) why it has been able to operate without any action (taken against it),” a source told Sunday Star.

Too close for comfort: The illegal carbon filter-processing factory still operating and its proximity to Kampung Sungai Lembu and surrounding areas near Bukit Mertajam. 

When contacted, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said the anti-graft body will carry out a thorough probe and look into all angles.

Azam said investigations will focus on the element of abuse of power.

“We have opened an investigation paper under Section 23 of the MACC Act.

“We will look into whether one of the suspects has given (any form of) protection to the illegal factory to enable it to continue operating the last 10 years,” he said.

He declined to elaborate further as investigations were ongoing.

Sources said anti-graft officers revisited the house of the state exco member in Sungai Puyu on the mainland to look for more evidence to assist in the probe.

It is not immediately known if documents were seized.

The homes and offices of two other suspects will also be revisited as part of the probe.

More arrests are expected in the coming days as investigations into the case widen.

Source: The Star by simon khoo, crystal chiam shiying, lo tern chern, akil yunus

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Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Hello, Penang police calling ... Macau Scammers reap RM2.7mil




Scammers busted: Penang CCID chief ACP Abdul Ghani Ahmad, flanked by DSP K. Balachandran and DSP Shamsul Farid Abdul Rani, showing seized passports, a photocopy of a MyKad and a letter during a press conference on the Macau Scam syndicate in George Town.

But the ‘officer’ on the other end of the line may well have been a member of a Macau Scam syndicate, which cloned the phone number of the state police headquarters to use in its con game. The operation, believed to have netted RM2.74mil so far, was smash

Syndicate cloned police phone number to trick 82 victims this year.


GEORGE TOWN: A Macau Scam syndicate has duped victims of more than RM2.74mil, using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to replicate the telephone number of the Penang police headquarters to con victims.

No fewer than 82 people had fallen prey to the scam since February.

The syndicate used a three-storey bungalow as its training centre before the members were deployed to Japan, Cambodia, Thailand and other Asian countries.

On Saturday, the syndicate was crippled by police following the arrest of 50 people, including three women.

Penang Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Asst Comm Abdul Ghani Ahmad said the suspects, aged between 17 and 42, were arrested at the bungalow in Taman Damai Utama in Puchong, Selangor, at about 8am.

“Intelligence gathering was carried out for about a month after we received a police report from a woman in Balik Pulau, who transferred RM5,000 to an account given by the scammers,” he told a press conference at the state police headquarters in Penang Road yesterday.

“She was told that her bank account would be frozen by Bank Negara Malaysia.

“The scammers promised to return the money to her a week later after the ‘investigations’ were over, but she did not get her money back.”

ACP Abdul Ghani said police investigations revealed that one of the suspects would pose as a bank officer and tell the victim that he or she had a loan with a particular bank.

If the victim denied it, the scammer would give them the contact number of a “Bank Negara officer” – another scammer – to check out the claim.

Those who are still not convinced would then receive a call from 04222 1522, which appeared to be the general line of the state police headquarters but had been replicated or cloned using VoIP technology to appear as such.

ACP Abdul Ghani added that another scammer, posing as a CCID officer, would then tell the victim that his or her bank account had been misused for criminal activities and was frozen pending investigation.

“The scammer will then ask the victim to transfer money to a specific account, and that would be the last they see of their money,” he said.

ACP Abdul Ghani added that 82 reports were lodged nationwide on this scam so far this year.

He said police also seized five mobile phones, a laptop, photocopied MyKad, photocopied passports, a set of scripts on what to say when posing as a police officer and bank officer, and 31 Malaysian passports.

In Police Custody: Some of the passports and Mykads seized from the Macau Scam syndicate being displayed at the state police headquarters in Georgetown.

“We are also checking if the mastermind was among the suspects arrested,” he said.

ACP Abdul Ghani added that the suspects were remanded for three days until today and would be brought to the Balik Pulau court for remand extension pending investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

Nobody knows exactly how the term “Macau Scam” came to be used.

However, former Interpol president Tan Sri Khoo Boon Hui has been quoted as saying that the scam apparently originated from Macau and was operated from other countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Another version circulating was that the first victims were in Macau, but the Macau police have declined to comment.

Source: The Star by crystal chiam shiyingandmuhammad nazrul haffiz salim

Remand of Macau Scam suspects extended



BALIK PULAU: Fifty suspects of the Macau Scam syndicate have their remand order extended by another three days by a magistrate’s court here.

Sirens from four police cars blared as two trucks arrived at the courthouse at about 8.40am yesterday.

Dressed in purple lockup T-shirts, the suspects, aged between 17 and 42 who include three women, hid their faces when they saw the press corp.

They are believed to be part of a Macau Scam syndicate which used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to swindle 82 victims of more than RM2.74mil since February.

It was reported that the syndicate used VoIP to replicate the hotline number of the Penang police headquarters to trick victims.

They were arrested at a bungalow in Taman Damai Utama in Puchong, Selangor, at about 8am on Saturday after a woman from Balik Pulau lodged a report, claiming she had been duped into transferring RM5,000 to an account.

Police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - The Star

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Thursday, May 25, 2017

Two virtual coin get-rich schemes red-flagged by Malaysian Central Bank


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GEORGE TOWN: Two more popular financial schemes in Penang have been red-flagged by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

A check on the financial consumer alert list yesterday showed MBI International Sdn Bhd and Mface International Sdn Bhd to be the latest additions.

Both are subsidiaries of MBI Group International, a company with investors worldwide, many of them from China.

To date, 302 companies have been listed under the BNM financial consumer alert list, for suspicion of not adhering to relevant laws and regulations administered by BNM in their operations.

Under the Financial Services Act 2013, individuals or businesses involved in illegal financial activities can be fined up to RM50mil and jailed for 10 years.

When contacted by a Chinese daily, MBI International chairman Tedy Teow’s special assistant Alfa said he did not think that the company would face any problem.

“And it is unnecessary for us to hold a press conference to explain the situation to our investors.

“We are always doing our work and we believe that our investors can see how we are performing so far,” he told Sin Chew Daily.

An investor, H.L. Teoh, said he put in RM22,500 early this year and was given 10,000 game redemption credits.

“Actually, I can start selling it every six months, but I was advised to wait for it to grow bigger in three years.

“When you have lots of credit, it is like having a lot of virtual shares.

“Now, I will have to wait for further instructions from the company before my next course of action,” he said.

Members are allowed to spend their loyalty points, which are converted from virtual money or coins, in exchange for goods and services at affiliated companies, including a supermarket, restaurants, a gym and even a durian stall.

Meanwhile, a press conference called by a branch representative of another controversial financial scheme operator, JJPTR, was cancelled at the last minute.

Press members in Penang had received an invitation from a man known only as Lim at 8.30am yesterday.

However, no reason was given for the cancellation.

JJPTR has been grabbing headlines in the past few weeks since its founder Johnson Lee claimed that the company had lost US$400mil (RM1.738bil) due to a purported “hacking job”.

Lee and two of his top aides have been detained by the police to facilitate investigations following several police reports lodged against JJPTR.

In another case, 19 Chinese nationals lodged police reports in Kuala Lumpur against another multi-level marketing company, claiming that they had lost hundreds of thousands of ringgit.

They claimed to have lost between 100,000 yuan (RM62,536) and 700,000 yuan (RM437,754) since investing in the scheme by Monspace last year.

Founded in 2014, Monspace is listed as a multi-level marketing company, according to the Com­panies Commission of Malaysia.

In an immediate response, Monspace said it would take legal action against any group or individual making defamatory statements against it.

The company said in a statement to the media that it was functioning professionally and had engaged a law firm to keep track of statements made about it.

Source: The Star/ANN by Crystal Chiam Shiying

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