PUTRAJAYA: Amid continued attempts to smuggle e-waste into the country, any activity involving the importation of foreign waste will be sternly acted upon, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said police raids last year alone netted an estimated RM7bil worth of illegal e-waste under Ops Hazard, with factories found to have breached environmental laws by carrying out hazardous processing of waste.
“We found that the importation of foreign waste materials continues, although it is disallowed. Recently, the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) also seized large quantities of e-waste at Port Klang. Following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s instructions to the AKPS, we will now straight take action against those involved,” he said, adding that he was confident in the agency to address the issue.
Saifuddin said among the plans for the AKPS was to equip the agency with better technology at entry points to strengthen enforcement.
He said several amendments to the Border Control and Protection Agency Act 2024 (Act 860) that have been identified will also be expedited to further enhance the authority of the agency.
“As AKPS is still in its infancy, we also want to emulate border enforcement models from several countries, including the United States and Australia, to set a benchmark that can be observed,” he said after an engagement session with AKPS officials at the agency’s headquarters here.
He said the growth and progress of AKPS since its formation more than a year ago has been smooth, with no major hiccups or disruptions at entry points.
“The agency is on the right track,” he said.
On surveillance and intelligence gathering, Saifuddin said these were essential elements that would determine the success of AKPS operations.
“I have given the director-general of AKPS, Datuk Seri Shuhaily Zain, the freedom to carry out recruitment which he deems suitable for the agency,” he said.
To further strengthen enforcement capacity, Saifuddin said the hiring of former servicemen to boost AKPS manpower has been approved by the Public Service Department, with an initial batch of about 200 personnel members.
He said appointing ex-servicemen differed from fresh recruitment or secondments from other agencies, as they possess unique skills that would enhance the agency’s capabilities.
Ideally, he said, the appointments would be carried out in the first quarter of the year. Most of the former servicemen are around 38 years old after serving about 20 years in the armed forces and remain fit and capable of service.
On another matter, Saifuddin said the ministry is also tightening enforcement against rail cable theft.
He said factories that purchase, smelt or store stolen rail cables will face stern action, including the revocation of operating or business licences.
He said Malaysia will also adopt safety measures and protection models used in developed countries to better secure railway assets.
