‘Santarina GROs’ arrested in Penang raid

[Red 5]

‘Santarina GROs’ arrested in Penang raid

By Kai Fong – December 26th, 2010

GROs in “skimpy Santarina outfits” were nabbed by the Immigration Department during a raid on Christmas Eve (Getty Images).
Forty-seven guest relation officers (GROs) clad in skimpy Santarina outfits were arrested during an early morning raid at one of Penang’s entertainment outlets on Christmas Eve.

In the operation dubbed “Ops Sayang”, the women were nabbed by the Immigration Department at a club in Tanjung Tokong in Georgetown, from midnight till 3am, reported Malaysian website, The Daily Chilli.

Those arrested comprised 28 Vietnamese, 18 Chinese nationals and a Thai, all aged between 20 and 30. Some of them were entertaining customers in “skimpy Santarina outfits” when the officers barged in.

Also present during the raid were officers of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) who helped to ensure that the operation was conducted without any element of graft.

The Immigration Department’s Compliance Unit head Mustaffa Kamal Hanaffi stated that this was the first time the unit had collaborated with the MACC in conducting a raid on an entertainment centre.

Said director of MACC Datuk Latifah Md Yatim at a press conference at the state headquarters last Saturday, “we had information from our intelligence unit that there might be bribery to secure the release of the women but this was not the case.”

Latifah added that there should be coordination and cooperation between MACC and all agencies during operations to wipe out graft menace.

 

[Kenshin Uesugi]

Monday December 27, 2010

Santarinas’ party foiled

GEORGE TOWN: A Yuletide party featuring foreign guest relations officers in skimpy Santarina outfits at a Tanjung Tokong entertainment outlet came to an end when the Immigration Department showed up.

The 47 foreigners – 28 Vietnamese, 18 China nationals and a Thai aged between 20 and 30 – were detained for violating their social visit passes.

The three-hour operation which started at midnight was dubbed “Ops Sayang”.

Party’s over: Some of the foreign women being led out of the entertainment outlet in Tanjong Tokong on Friday.

The raid was conducted by the Immigration Department’s compliance unit with the presence of officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Unit head Mustaffa Kamal Hanaffi said this was the first time the unit had collaborated with the MACC in conducting a raid at an entertainment outlet in the state.

“We detained a Myanmar male national not having valid travel document.

“We also nabbed a 28-year-old local man who is believed to be responsible in ‘protecting’ the foreign women,” he said.

State MACC director Datuk Latifah Md Yatim said her officers were present to ensure the operation was graft-free.

“We had information that there would be bribery to secure the release of the women but this was not the case,” she said.

Latifah said there should be coordination and cooperation between MACC and all agencies during operations to wipe out the graft menace.

Also present was state Immigration director Abdul Qadir Siddiq Ahmad.