Security check: Immigration and Customs officers checking vehicles entering Malaysia in this file picture.
KOTA BARU: The practice of irregular stamping for entry and exit into the country at Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complexes is viewed as a serious violation of standard operating procedures (SOP) that can affect the country’s sovereignty and security.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said such violations are not minor administrative issues but carry major risks to the national border control system if not addressed with strict action.
“Based on records for 2025, disciplinary action has been taken against 92 immigration officers stationed at entry and exit points for offences relating to irregular endorsements and immigration stamping.
“Such acts are categorised as serious integrity misconduct,” he told Bernama recently, adding that every immigration procedure is part of national security.
He said the department does not tolerate any compromise in the execution of duties at the country’s entry points, particularly at ICQS complexes identified as high-risk zones.
“In addition to disciplinary action, the department also conducts integrity checks reinforced through spot checks, round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, and technology-based improvements to control systems to ensure full SOP compliance,” Zakaria said, adding that the use of high technology in at-risk locations ensures checks can be done faster.
He also said the current security levels at the ICQS complexes bordering Thailand in Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Kelantan are stable and under control, thanks to modern border management approaches.
Even though the Malaysian Control and Border Protection Agency (AKPS) has taken over control duties at entry points, the Immigration Department remains a vital agency, managing 10 immigration aspects and conducting security checks through a more efficient organisational restructuring.
He also singled out identity theft and the misuse of border documents as key threats identified at entry points along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
“To tackle this, the NIISe (National Integrated Immigration System) is used to analyse visitor and tourist data in-depth using artificial intelligence, which enables Immigration or AKPS officers to make more accurate security decisions quickly in the field,” he said.
NIISe was developed with the capability to fully integrate with various international and national security databases, including those of Interpol, he said.
With such integration, the Immigration Department can conduct security risk analyses comprehensively and effectively, reducing dependence on fully manual checks.
“Synergy between AKPS and Immigration, supported by the NIISe system’s capability of working with the databases of the police, the National Registration Department and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, has closed off gaps exploited by syndicates.
“Complete risk management ensures the early detection of every attempt by syndicates to manipulate entry points,” Zakaria said.
He said the department is enhancing its cooperation through system integration with international entities, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to facilitate passport verification and the sharing of additional security data, such as the Stolen or Lost Documents database.
“Technical cooperation like this ensures travellers from Thailand or other countries undergo strict vetting processes in accordance with global standards,” he added.
