Immigration Dept, NRD under investigation - PM

PUTRAJAYA – Probe is underway for two agencies under the Home Ministry in connection to allegations of corrupt practices and malpractices among its officers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the two agencies were the Immigration Department and National Registration Department (NRD).

He said a survey at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday revealed that a small number of officers were still used to the old practices and systems.

"I went there and concluded to defend the integrity of the Immigration and emphasised that immediate and strict action will be taken against some small groups who are comfortable with the old practices," he said in his speech during the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) monthly assembly, here, today.

He said similar situation occurred in the NRD before, where officers asked for payment for the issuance of citizenship certificate.

"Yesterday, I received information that NRD is under investigation.

"We made it easier for eligible people to get citizenship and so on.

"But to get the certificate, they are charged for it," he said.

Anwar said despite the small number of officers being allegedly involved, immediate and strict action needed to be taken as it damages the image of the department, civil servants and the administration.

"If we were to describe it, one bad apple spoils the whole barrel.

"Strict action must be taken otherwise it will damage the image of the administration that is said to know how to talk but cannot practice it," he said.

Anwar also expressed disappointment over only one of the seven scanning machines of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (Customs) at Terminal 1 was working.

He said the problem had been ongoing for years but had yet to be resolved.

"I just happen to be the Finance Minister and Customs is under my responsibility but do they have to wait until I visit first to know which machines are broken?" he questioned.

He stressed that poor communication between lower-level workers and their superiors also needed to be improved.

"Should the officer assigned there be blamed for such things? Maybe they had reported it before so this poor communication needs to be fixed to provide better service," he said.

Anwar said that immediate approval could be given if the scanner cost was around several million ringgit.

"I gave my trust to the Public Service (KPPA) director-general and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct a thorough investigation as I had given them immediate approval.

"The situation is urgent, the scanner is broken. Just imagine these seven scanner machines had been broken for a long time, since several years ago," he said.

Earlier in his surprise visit to Terminal 1, Anwar stated that the affairs and operations of the Immigration and Customs were under control and stated that some existing problems would be investigated for improvement and appropriate actions.