KOTA BARU: Shortage in workforce, excessive workloads and the absence of round-the-clock CCTV surveillance have been identified as weaknesses enabling security breaches at national entry points, said the Immigration Department.
Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said lack of officers would lead to heavier workload and this could compromise the effectiveness of operations at inspection counters.
“Indirectly, this situation could create vulnerabilities for security breaches if not managed effectively. The department is constantly striving to optimise staffing at all service counters,” he said, Bernama reported.
Beyond staffing, uninterrupted 24-hour CCTV monitoring has also been flagged as a critical mechanism for prevention, surveillance and quality control, especially at high-risk locations.
The absence of such a system, he said, would undermine accountability and make it difficult to detect early signs of misconduct or procedural violations.
As a proactive measure, the officer monitoring system via CCTV has been fully operational at all national gateways since October 2024, allowing for oversight of officers’ performance and facilitating immediate intervention in the event of non-compliance.
“This measure supports our commitment to strengthening integrity, transparency and operational efficiency at our entry points. It ensures that national security and sovereignty remain protected.”
On the use of body cameras to mitigate corruption and potential abuse of authority, Zakaria said the department has deployed body-worn cameras (BWCs) to officers at key gateways and within enforcement units.
