theSun | TUESDAY MARCH 10 2009 5

news without
borders

Malaysian held
over ATM fraud
in Thailand
BANGKOK: Thai police have arrested a Malaysian
man who has allegedly swindled about three
million baht (RM309,000) from dozens of bank
account holders in Chumpon province using ATM
skimmers and a tiny camera.
Langsuan district police chief Supoj Boon-
chuduang told the local media the 43-year-old
man also tried to bribe his officers by offering
them 1.2 million baht (RM123,700). “The suspect
managed to get someone to transfer the money
from Malaysia within one hour. Our officers pre-
tended to agree to his offer in order to get some
of the money back,” he said.
Supoj said the suspect told them that he was
carrying out the criminal activity with a Malay-
sian accomplice who is believed to be hiding in
the country.
He said the duo’s activity came to light after
many ATM users complained to their affected
banks their savings were withdrawn without
their knowledge.
“We got our break after one witness saw
two men in a car behaving suspiciously. Based
on the number plate provided, we traced it to a
car rental company and we detained one of the
suspects when he came to return the car.”
According to Supoj, the duo would fix
skimmers, devices that thieves install on ATM
machines to steal the financial information of
others, and also a camera that would record the
user’s pin number.
He said investigations showed the suspects
came to Thailand on three separate occasions
– Feb 6, Feb 20 and March 6.
He said the duo is believed to be part of a big
syndicate. – Bernama

briefs
21,000 Pakistanis brought in
in last six years
KUALA LUMPUR: Only 21,000 Pakistani work-
ers were brought into Malaysia in the past
six years following a manpower supply pact
between both countries in October 2003.
The Pakistani High Commission’s com-
munity welfare and labour attache Nadeem
Ashraf said the actual quota under the
memorandum of understanding was 100,000
workers for the construction, plantation,
manufacturing and services sectors.
The quota, however, could not be fulfilled
as Pakistani workers found the wages and
perks to be unsatisfactory, he said.
“Pakistani workers preferred to work in
Middle East countries where wages were at-
tractive and work conditions better. Moreover,
it was also nearer home,” he told Bernama.

Island escapade in the UAE

DUBAI: Over 300 Malaysians converged on a
private island off Umm al Quwain recently for
what has been described as the first Malay-
sian community gathering held outside the
United Arab Emirates’ major cities of Dubai
and Abu Dhabi.
With family and friends, they spent the
day playing beach games or simply relax-
ing in the cabanas during the event dubbed
“Island Escapade 2009”. The island is about
an hour’s drive from Dubai.
Joining them were Malaysian ambassador
to the UAE, Datuk Yahaya Abdul Jabar, and
consul-general in Dubai Syed Mohamad
Hasrin Tengku Hussin. – Bernama

King and Queen on visit to

Thailand and Vietnam
SEPANG: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku
Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong
Tuanku Nur Zahirah left for Thailand yesterday for
a state visit to the country and later Vietnam.
Their majesties will be in Thailand for three
days until March 12 and Vietnam until March
15. Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed
accompanied the couple as the minister-in-
attendance.
Their majesties’ visits to Thailand and Vietnam
are expected to strengthen bilateral relations
between Malaysia and the two countries.
– Bernama