PUTRAJAYA: Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban has warned that he will not hesitate to report any of his officers to the authorities if they are found to be involved in “tonto” activities or leaking enforcement information.
He said the department views such misconduct seriously, particularly if it involves its own personnel.
“If individuals involved are identified, reports will be lodged with the relevant enforcement agencies for further action,” he said at a press conference after attending the Immigration Department’s Semarak Ramadan programme at its headquarters here Thursday (Feb 26).
Zakaria said information leaks could cause enforcement operations to fail, as targets may flee before raids are carried out.
He said every operation is strategically planned to prevent movements from being detected by irresponsible parties.
“We strictly safeguard operational confidentiality. Not all officers involved are informed of the raid location or other operational details,” he added.
Earlier, the media reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had uncovered a list of enforcement officers suspected of receiving bribes from middlemen syndicates known as “tonto” following a recent raid.
According to sources, the discovery was made during the questioning of several key suspects arrested in Ops Middleman, which was conducted in several states.
Investigations revealed that the enforcement officers allegedly received monthly bribes ranging from RM1,600 to RM2,500 from company middlemen or commercial vehicle owners in exchange for not taking legal action against them.
In a separate development, Zakaria said the department is working closely with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to address cases involving foreigners found driving lorries without valid licences.
He said there have been reports of foreign nationals operating heavy vehicles, including lorries transporting stone and sand, without proper documentation, and the matter is being addressed jointly for enforcement action.
