Kuala lumpur: A total of 77 Malaysian Immigration Department officers have been sacked from 2022 to date, out of 994 disciplinary cases resolved by the agency. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated that for this year alone, 23 disciplinary cases have been settled, with eight officers receiving punitive measures in an effort to strengthen integrity and curb misconduct within the department.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zakaria emphasized that action is taken against officers regardless of their rank, based on evidence. Misconduct cases included breaches of standard operating procedures, approving matters beyond authority, manipulating counter settings, absenteeism, drug abuse, and smuggling contraband to detainees at depots.
Zakaria also addressed concerns about the presence of foreigners at popular locations, especially on weekends or during festive seasons, clarifying that their presence does not necessarily mean they are undocumented. He highlighted that over three million foreigners holding valid passes and permits currently reside in the country. Additionally, Zakaria pointed out the role of social media content creators in potentially contributing to negative public perceptions by recording videos of large crowds of foreigners.
On enforcement operations, Zakaria reported that the department conducted 5,010 operations nationwide and checked 71,734 individuals, including locals, between January 1 and May 25 this year. These operations resulted in the detention of 17,313 illegal immigrants for various offences, primarily for overstaying and abusing their passes. Furthermore, 789 employers who hired or harboured illegal immigrants were also detained. The nationalities with the highest number of arrests were Indonesians (5,578), Bangladeshis (3,533), Myanmar nationals (2,856), Filipinos (1,990), and Pakistanis (811).
Zakaria noted that the Jelajah Wira MADANI programme, held in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha at the Millennium Temporary Immigration Depot in Beranang, serves as a platform to express appreciation to the department's personnel for their high commitment and contributions as one of the nation's frontline agencies.