PETALING JAYA: Having relied largely on personnel seconded from other agencies, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) is set to have its own permanent workforce from July 1.
Officially set up on Jan 1 last year as a singular, unified enforcement agency under the Home Ministry, it has been operating at only about half its ideal manpower.
AKPS director-general Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the body needed 13,721 personnel to operate at full strength.
“Starting next month, about 25% of this number will consist of our own workforce made up of fresh recruits and personnel from other agencies who have opted to permanently move to AKPS.
“Another 25% will continue serving on secondment from their parent agencies,” he said in a recent interview in Putrajaya.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily, who assumed the post last July 1 on a two-year term, said the other half of personnel would be gradually built over two five-year phases to reach full operational strength.
To strengthen the agency, he said the government extended an option for personnel from all six agencies that currently make up or complement the border force to be permanently placed in the agency.
He said the incentives offered for permanent placement in AKPS were among the best in civil service history, with those opting to join receiving a double increment and a RM200 incentive allowance.
“In my view, if there were complaints previously by personnel about the salary scheme, there is now no reason to reject this offer because the premise of this transformation is that it is no less favourable than what they enjoyed before joining AKPS,” he explained, saying the initiative was part of a broader transformation programme to move civil servants away from rigid practices.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily said despite being in its formative years and operating well below its intended strength, AKPS recorded RM82mil in seizures last year, tackling critical border breaches ranging from illegal e-waste shipments to undocumented entries of foreigners.
On the integrity of the workforce, he said that firm action without compromise led to at least 10 personnel losing their jobs over offences mainly linked to counter-setting and syndication activities.
“Despite these challenges, counter-setting activities are continuing even as we speak. It is just that those behind it have not been caught,” he said.
With one more year remaining in his secondment from the police force, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said his unwavering goal was to ensure that AKPS was strong enough to stand on its own.
The former Bukit Aman CID director said if needed, he remained open to continuing with the AKPS.
“My salary is paid by the people. If the government says something needs to be done for the betterment of the nation, I will do it as I have throughout my career,” he added.
