PETALING JAYA: The Immigration Department has extended its condolences over the death of an officer in a road accident, while stressing that staff placements and transfers are made based on service needs and welfare considerations.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the department was deeply saddened by the passing of Immigration officer Azman Mazni, who died in a road accident on April 25 while on his way home from work.
“The loss is deeply felt. The deceased was not only a husband, father and son beloved by his family, but also a member of the Immigration Department family.
“All department personnel extend their deepest sympathies to his family and pray that his soul will be blessed and placed among the righteous,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (April 29).
Meanwhile, Zakaria said that, for public understanding, officer placements in the department were carried out based on service requirements, including staffing warrants, existing vacancies and suitability of job grades.
“Every decision on placement and transfer is made comprehensively, taking into account the balance between operational needs and the welfare of officers,” he said.
He added that between Jan 1, 2023, and Dec 31, 2025, the department received 2,860 transfer applications involving officers of various grades.
“Of that total, 1,332 officers were successfully transferred, taking into account welfare considerations and service requirements,” he said.
He also said the department had received a transfer application from the deceased through official channels, with the latest request submitted on Aug 10, 2025.
“The application is in the list for due consideration based on priorities and current needs as explained,” he said.
Azman, who was stationed at the Papar Immigration Depot, travelled more than 700km almost every week to meet his family in Miri and Sibu, Sarawak.
According to a Facebook post by his friend, S Faizzul Syar, Azman had often expressed his wish to be transferred to Sarawak to be closer to his family.
It is understood that at the time of the incident, Azman was less than an hour away from reaching his home in Sibu after a nearly 11-hour journey.
