Ahmad Zahid (fifth left) launches the Malaysian Immigration Department Strategic Plan and Code of Ethics at the event in Miri. He is joined by (from left) Nur Jazlan, Sabri, Mawan, Lee, Masir, Alwi and Mustafa.
MIRI: Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has instructed the Immigration Department to crack down on human trafficking syndicates operating in the nation.
“I want the Immigration Department to focus not only on nabbing illegals but also to seek, investigate, arrest and take to court the agents and the kingpins involved,” he said.
He said this at the launch of the national Immigration Day 2015 here yesterday, which was also attended by Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakub, Deputy Home Ministers Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Masir Kujat, Home Ministry secretary-general Dato Sri Alwi Ibrahim and its director-general Dato’ Sri Mustafa Haji Ibrahim, and also Assistant Minister of Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
Ahmad Zahid also said that heavier punishments would be meted out if the agents and syndicates involved were found guilty.
“The Immigration Act 1959 is heavy enough, but if the people want the act to be strengthened and its penalties increased, the Home Ministry is prepared to do it.
“I will discuss with my two deputies and the ministry’s secretary-general to seek legal advice to strengthen the act and existing regulations,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid disclosed that the kingpins in illegal immigration syndicates included those with honorific titles of ‘Dato and Dato’ Sri’.
He said the biggest number of victims of the syndicates were those from Bangladesh, followed by India and Myanmar.
In commending the Immigration Department for its success, Ahmad Zahid however said there was much to be done and called on it to collaborate with other enforcement agencies for more effective results under the National Blue Ocean approach.
“You all work under the same one government and one same ministry. That is why I ask Rela (People’s Volunteers Corps) to assist enforcement agencies,” he said.
The deputy prime minister warned that next year would be a challenging one ahead as Malaysia had to face the reality of the drop in revenue from the oil and gas sector due to depressed market prices.
Ahmad Zahid said the budget was drawn up based on oil price at US$48 per barrel, but the price had plunged to just over US$37.
He said Malaysia was fortunate that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had the foresight to introduce the unpopular Goods and Service Tax (GST), which had cushioned the sharp drop in oil revenue.
The country collected about RM30 billion in GST which had helped the government cope with the expenses, including the salary of its civil servants, Ahmad Zahid disclosed.
The Home Minister later launched the Malaysia Immigration Department Strategic Plan and Code of Ethics and presented letter of promotion to five officers.