Agency integration needed, says DPM

SYDNEY, 9 Mei -- Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi bersalaman dengan Gabenor New South Wales, Jeneral David Hurley ketika membuat kunjungan hormat di Rumah Kerajaan hari ini.--fotoBERNAMA (2017) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

SYDNEY: Malaysia will beef up security controls to address cross-border crimes by streamlining the relevant agencies’ standard operating procedures, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said the integration of the servi­ces of the four border security control agencies – the marine police, Malaysia Maritime Enforce­ment Agency (MMEA), Royal Malay­sian Navy and Malaysia Border Security Agency (Aksem) – was vital for more effective action against crimes such as human trafficking as well as smuggling of drugs and firearms.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the MMEA covered the coastal areas, the marine police took care of the rivers and up to five nautical miles from shore, the navy covered domestic and international waters, and Aksem monitored the land borders.

Malaysia planned to send officers from these agencies to study the Australian module on border security control, he told journalists after visiting the Australian Border Force College here yesterday.

“This college is not the only training centre of its kind in Australia. There are many other centres in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. We will select the most suitable ones to send our officers,” he added.

The Deputy Prime Minister also told journalists that the Government has no intention of making any arrangements to bring back the body of Islamic State militant Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, who was reportedly killed in Raqqa, Syria, on April 29.

“The family of Muhammad Wanndy, however, can arrange to do that with the authorities in Syria,” he said.

Dr Ahmad Zahid’s three-day working visit to Australia, which began on Sunday, is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations as well as sharing experiences and information on security, and combating terrorism and cross-border crimes.

In the afternoon, he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of New South Wales, David Hurley, at Government House here. — Bernama