August 30, 2024
Justice For Myanmar (JFM) has welcomed the investigation by the Malaysian Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into former Malaysian Deputy Minister Datuk Dr. Mashitah Ibrahim and her husband, Datuk Abdul Shakor bin Abu Bakar, for their alleged involvement in a cyber scam operation based in Myawaddy, Kayin State.
The investigation follows the release of a JFM report in May, which exposed the involvement of various individuals in online financial scam operations within Myanmar. The report identified the former Deputy Minister and her husband as key figures in the operations in Myawaddy.
On August 29, 2024, Malaysian Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed at a press briefing that investigations were underway, and that statements had been taken from the couple in July. The police are continuing to gather evidence against them.
The investigation by the MACC, which began this week, follows complaints from civil society organizations about Mashitah Ibrahim’s activities. The couple is alleged to have partnered with former 14K Triad leader Wan Kuok-koi in the Dongmei Park project, an online financial scam operation. Dongmei Park, registered in Hong Kong, is directed by Abdul Shakor and operates in Malaysia, soliciting funds from investors interested in tiger breeding ventures.
The U.S. government has sanctioned Dongmei Park for its involvement in forced labor operations. Workers at Dongmei Park are reportedly subjected to forced labor, coercion, torture, and extortion. Security at the facility is reportedly tight, with armed guards and watchtowers preventing workers from escaping, according to testimonies from those who have managed to flee.
