PUTRAJAYA: Six individuals have been arrested after a syndicate believed to be responsible for determining the distribution of flight seats to companies providing umrah services was smashed.
It is learnt that the syndicate would demand bribes in the form of commission in allocating the number of seats to these companies.
The six, including a director and employees of six travel companies, were arrested in a special operation carried out in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Kedah.
The suspects, aged between 34 and 55, were arrested at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here on Thursday (Feb 9) evening.
They were brought before Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin, who allowed for the suspects to be remanded for four days until Feb 13.
According to sources, one of the firms was appointed by an international airline company as the sole agent to manage and distribute quotas for flight seats for each umrah flight.
It is learnt that the syndicate’s modus operandi was to impose a “payment” of between RM50 and RM250 for each ticket quota for umrah.
“This payment is (supposedly) an assurance to the agencies providing umrah services for seats on the flights.
“Investigators believe that the syndicate’s activities started in 2018 and that as many as 216,000 tickets were distributed, involving corrupt payment of at least RM10.8mil,” said a source.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the arrests, adding that probes are ongoing.
