Simpang ampat: The Immigration Department (JIM) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) in tackling misconduct issues involving its staff, as stated by JIM Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban. He highlighted that discussions would be initiated with the agency to potentially reassign problematic officers stationed at the nation’s primary entry points.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban elaborated that JIM has transferred the full management of 22 key entry points to AKPS, including major airports and complexes such as Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the Sultan Iskandar Building, and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Johor. Despite this handover, JIM officers remain involved in daily airport operations, supporting intelligence, monitoring, and related activities.

Zakaria emphasized the department’s willingness to reshuffle officers linked to misconduct, asserting, “If there’s any need for a reshuffle, we will hold discussions with AKPS to remove officers identified as being involved in misconduct. We will fully cooperate.” This statement was in response to inquiries about potential officer reassignments following recent arrests tied to ‘counter setting’ activities.

He further noted that the success of recent operations stemmed from the collaboration between JIM and AKPS, with JIM providing essential intelligence. Zakaria stressed that actions against problematic officers are ongoing and highlighted that from 2022 to the present, 147 disciplinary cases have been reported, leading to 55 dismissals.

As part of its reform initiatives, JIM is advancing digital transformation at entry points, including expanding the autogate system to minimize direct interactions between officers and travelers, thus reducing the risk of misconduct.

During a recent operation, Zakaria reported that 749 foreign nationals were screened, resulting in the detention of 307 individuals for various violations under the Immigration Act 1959/1963. Among those detained were 306 Bangladeshi nationals and one Nepalese, all aged between 20 and 40, for breaching their pass conditions. These individuals have been taken to the Jawi Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation.