Mazlan: Serious disciplinary allegations at the CIQ

JOHOR BARU: Officers surfing their handphones during working hours is among the complaints highlighted at the Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) here.

There are also some officers who turn up late for work, resulting in some counters in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex not opening on time.

This is the feedback that has reached the ears of Johor Works, Infrastructure and Transport committee chairman Mazlan Bujang.

To counter this, a special committee has been formed to look into the issues, including the possibility of having CCTV cameras at all Immi­gration booths at the CIQ.

“These are all serious allegations on disciplinary issues.

“We need to improve the situation at the CIQ to ensure that we can help reduce congestion.

“And, there is no point in playing the blame game as many agencies operate at the CIQ,” said Mazlan.

He said there was a lack of CCTVs and more needed to be added to urgently boost security, adding that some RM90mil had been set aside for the CIQ’s maintenance.

“We need to look at long-term measures,” he said, adding that he recently paid a two-hour visit to the CIQ.

Recently, The Star reported that the state’s two land crossings with Singapore – the JB CIQ and the other CIQ at the Second Link – were in need of an urgent overhaul.

Among the issues highlighted included the need to have more manpower, gantries, speed breakers and CCTVs.

Besides the Immigration Depart­ment, the Customs Department is also facing problems as it does not have adequate scanning machines at both the CIQs, resulting in bottlenecks.

The scanners also often break down, causing jams.