KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has approved an allocation of RM22mil to equip the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) with firearms and other suitable equipment, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the move was agreed to by the Prime Minister following the urgent need to strengthen the safety of AKPS personnel after a shooting incident involving a vehicle carrying one of the agency's commanders in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, in February.
"Following the incident, I wrote to the Prime Minister on the need for AKPS to be equipped with the necessary firearms, and the Prime Minister gave his immediate approval, with an allocation of RM22mil to provide AKPS with armaments deemed reasonable and appropriate for their duties at the border," he said during Ministers' Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday (June 23).
Saifuddin Nasution said this in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) regarding constraints faced by AKPS officers who are not provided with safety equipment such as firearms and bulletproof vests while on duty.
He said that although AKPS comprises personnel from various agencies, including the Health Ministry, only certain segments within the agency possess the necessary skills to handle firearms, such as police personnel.
Touching on the issue of integrity, Saifuddin Nasution expressed confidence that the establishment of AKPS would address bureaucratic hurdles and integrity risks that previously existed when border control functions involved more than 20 agencies.
"When border control involves more than 20 agencies, the process becomes sequential. But, if there is only one agency, namely AKPS, we can reduce bureaucratic red tape and provide the best formula for minimising opportunities for corruption and other integrity-related issues," he said.
He said that in just its first year of operations, AKPS had recorded several successes, including a major drug seizure worth tens of millions of ringgit at Penang International Airport and the detection of e-waste smuggling at ports through cooperation with relevant agencies.
Replying to a question from Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna), he assured that the establishment of AKPS does not contravene the Federal Constitution, while the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) will continue to be respected.
Saifuddin Nasution said the matter had been explained repeatedly and agreed upon before the AKPS Bill was tabled and passed, indicating that the issue is no longer one of policy but rather one of implementation and operations.
According to him, the establishment of AKPS is aimed at addressing several key issues, including streamlining the movement of people and goods, enhancing integrity, increasing national revenue and strengthening security at the country's entry points.
He also stressed that there are successful precedents, such as the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which have effectively integrated multiple agencies into a single operational framework to strengthen national security. - Bernama
