Leadership

Azam to meet new Immigration D-G on counter setting case at KLIA

By Austin Camoens

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki will be meeting with the new Immigration Department director-general soon.

Azam said the meeting would be mainly about discussing suggestions on how to deal with counter setting activities at the terminals at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“I will be meeting with Datuk Zakaria Shaaban soon.

“As you know, we have already made several suggestions that we feel will help deter such activities,” he said when met at Sri Pentas on Monday.

He said to date, 50 suspects have been detained to facilitate investigations.

“We expect to charge these individuals in October.

“Once we have compiled the investigation papers, the only thing left will be to refer it to the deputy public prosectors office for their decision,” he said adding several suggestions on charges will be proposed.

He said they will also suggest that disciplinary action be taken by the Immigration Department against the personnel involved.

“So I will meet with the director-general because we have some information to share with them so that action can be taken by their Integrity Unit.

“I want to discuss at length on the counter setting issue which has occurred at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (KLIA) with him,” he said.

Azam had suggested on Sept 18 that Immigration officers manning counters at the country’s entry points should not have access to their mobile phones.

Investigations found that Immigration officers, who were caught for “counter setting” at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 1) and klia2 (Terminal 2) recently, had received information from agents on the arrival of certain foreign nationals via WhatsApp.

Counter setting refers to the act of allowing foreigners to enter the country without proper inspection by going through designated or predetermined lanes at Immigration entry points.

He also made several other suggestions at that time.

The commission also found that the issuance of tourist visas was at the heart of counter-setting syndicates at Terminals 1 and 2.

According to a MACC statement, the syndicates reportedly bribed Immigration officers to allow foreigners, particularly from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar, to enter the country by issuing tourist visas without adhering to protocols.

Source : azam-meet-new-immigration-d-g-counter-setting-case-klia

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