Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) has been granted full autonomy to act decisively and without compromise against any of its officers or staff found guilty of violating ethics and integrity in the course of their duties, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He emphasized that the recent arrest of 29 AKPS officers and personnel on suspicion of corruption and abuse of power highlights the agency's commitment to not conceal misconduct cases under the guise of protecting its reputation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Saifuddin Nasution asserted during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat that there would be no tolerance for violations of ethics, discipline, and integrity. He expressed confidence in the AKPS leadership's ability to uphold integrity, stating that any breach would result in firm action and would be reported to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) regarding the actions taken against AKPS personnel detained on suspicion of corruption and abuse of power, including alleged counter-setting activities, and the need for an increase in AKPS personnel at the country's entry points.
Saifuddin Nasution further commented that AKPS collaborates closely with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the Immigration Department to ensure officers and staff maintain integrity in their duties. This includes enforcing the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993, which allow for disciplinary actions, including dismissal.
Addressing staffing capacity issues, he mentioned that recruitment of AKPS personnel would occur in stages, prioritizing high-risk and high-traffic entry points. Currently, 6,866 personnel from various agencies are deployed to guard 122 active entry points out of the country's 140 entry points. While ideally, 13,721 personnel are required, recruitment will proceed in phases, with the latest phase including approval to recruit 200 former military personnel.