Dismantling a beggar group earning 60 million VND/month

In the state of Johor (Malaysia), located in the area bordering Singapore, the Malaysian Immigration Department has just broken up an illegal begging ring from China. The figures about the monthly income of the beggars are currently shocking public opinion in this country.

Mr. Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus, Director of the Johor Immigration Department, said that on September 24 and 25, the agency arrested four beggars of Chinese nationality, aged between 36 and 76.

This group of people is accused of taking advantage of their disabled appearance to beg in downtown areas as well as night markets. The begging activities are considered to be "organized in groups, often moving" arranged by a network.

A beggar on the street in Malaysia (Photo: Mail).

Earlier in a local crackdown, a group attempted to escape to Ipoh, Perak by bus. However, these individuals were discovered.

“Each individual in the group could have earned RM10,000 – more than VND60 million – a month from begging in the central areas. These are illegal amounts of money,” Mr Darus said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Yap Kim Huad, Chairman of the Klang Mobile Traders Association, a city in Selangor state, an area with a large Chinese population in Malaysia, confirmed that the phenomenon of beggars from China appearing at night markets has existed for about 10 years.

The areas where these groups operate are usually restaurants, crowded markets, and coffee shops. These groups often take advantage of their appearance to appeal to the psychology of others.

On September 29, in another statement, Mr. Darus, Director of the Johor Immigration Department, gave the latest figure of 45 foreign nationals arrested for illegal begging. These people were operating in groups.

Among them were 22 Bangladeshi men, 15 men and five women from Myanmar, as well as several Indians and Indonesians. All were aged between 19 and 44.

It is known that since December 2023, Malaysia has applied a visa exemption policy for Chinese tourists. This policy is expected to last until the end of 2026 to promote the number of tourists from the country of a billion people.

At the same time, Malaysia is witnessing a 231.9% increase in Chinese visitors compared to the same period last year. In the first four months of 2024 alone, the country attracted nearly 1 million Chinese visitors.

Besides promoting the tourism economy, the negative side of the policy also creates opportunities for some elements to take advantage of illegal entry, negatively affecting social security.

Previously, during a campaign to check begging activities in Maran district (Pahang state, Malaysia), Social Welfare Department staff were surprised to learn that a man with a deformed hand earned up to RM500 after about four to five hours of begging at the night market.

They were even more surprised to discover that this person was using a Proton X70 Premium SUV, which retails for between RM123,800 and RM128,800 (equivalent to VND650 million to VND677 million).

The man (name withheld) was immediately checked, but released with a warning as it was his first offence in Maran district.

Malaysian media later reported that the man had to pledge to stop begging and had his disability allowance (RM450/month) cut off.

Duy Huy (synthesis)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/malaysia-triet-pha-nhom-an-xin-thu-nhap-60-trieu-dong-thang-20424100212565917.htm