Immigration to give full cooperation in ‘counter setting’ probe

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department will fully cooperate with authorities in the investigation of 49 officers detained in the “counter setting” probe.

Newly appointed director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated the department will not tolerate any officers who misuse their authority or violate the law.

“We will cooperate fully with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), police, and other agencies involved in this investigation,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 19).

Zakaria added that the department is aware of the 11 identified weaknesses that allowed the syndicate to bring in foreigners through the counter setting method.

“We will scrutinise and undertake extensive reforms in our work and service delivery, considering all recommendations for improvement,” he said.

Zakaria affirmed the department’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the nation’s entry points.

On Wednesday (Sept 18), MACC proposed that Immigration officers, including supervisors at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2, should not have access to their mobile phones while on duty.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said this proposal followed the clampdown on counter setting activities, which led to the arrest of 49 Immigration officers.

“Blocking access to their mobile phones can prevent them from being contacted by outside parties. They also need other communication methods while on duty,” he told reporters at MACC headquarters on Wednesday.

Currently, the work schedule for officers manning the counters is set when they are already in the counter zones, he noted.