KAJANG: The first batch of Armed Forces veterans recruited into the Malaysian Border Control Agency (AKPS) have officially passed selection and will be deployed within the Klang Valley, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said a total of 48 veterans from the inaugural intake have passed the selection process.
Of the total, 31 personnel will be stationed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 14 will be placed in Port Klang while three will be assigned to the AKPS headquarters.
“Although they are military veterans, they still had to go through screening by the agency, including psychometric assessments, physical tests and interview sessions,” Saifuddin Nasution told a press conference here.
“We have an allocation of around RM8mil for this programme. This is just the first batch.
“Moving forward and in line with the needs of AKPS, we will request additional personnel based on what can be accommodated within the budget, subject to the Finance Ministry’s consideration,” he said.
When tabling Budget 2026, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that priority will be given to appointing officers from among military veterans to meet AKPS’ manpower needs.
On another matter, Saifuddin Nasution said the use of firearms by AKPS personnel is still under discussion.
“The use of firearms has been brought up and recommended by the director-general.
“At this point, the proposal is being looked into by my ministry. I am currently awaiting feedback from the secretary-general, after which we will proceed with the next steps,” he said.
The call for personnel to hold firearms comes after a shooting incident involving Bukit Kayu Hitam AKPS commander Senior Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir in February.
To a question, Saifuddin Nasution said the case is still under investigation.
“The case does not only involve elements within our country but also those from outside Malaysia.
“I do not deny the possibility of the involvement of organised crime groups as well,” he said.
