PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has temporarily relieved the duties of 11 of its officers who were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations of abuse of power and corruption.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the officers would be relieved of their duties until investigations are completed to ensure they are not involved in any official matters that could affect the probe.
He said the officers were attached to the department in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
“We will wait for the MACC to complete its investigations before any further action is taken,” he told reporters on Friday (July 10).
Zakaria said the department would not tolerate misconduct among its officers and staff, adding that no one would be protected regardless of rank.
“We will not shield any officer, whether senior or junior. If they are found to have committed an offence, the same action will be taken against them,” he said.
He added that the department would continue to extend full cooperation to the MACC and other enforcement agencies to strengthen transparency and integrity within the department.
According to Zakaria, the department’s efforts are focused on three main areas: strengthening enforcement integrity, improving service delivery to customers and enhancing integrity among Immigration personnel.
On a related matter, he revealed that 834 Immigration officers had faced various disciplinary actions from 2023 until this year, with 69 of them dismissed from service.
“For this year alone, 81 officers have been subjected to disciplinary action, and 14 of them have been sacked.
“This reflects our seriousness in addressing integrity issues among Immigration officers and staff,” he said.
On Thursday (July 9), the MACC remanded 33 individuals, including enforcement officers, civil servants, members of the public and foreign nationals, suspected of involvement in offences related to the Immigration Act.
The suspects are believed to have allowed foreigners to remain in the country without valid travel documents and to have misused social visit passes for employment purposes.
The arrests were made under Ops Layer in Putrajaya, Ops Dalang in Selangor, Ops Raider in Negri Sembilan and Ops Genuine in Melaka, in operations conducted by the MACC Intelligence division together with state MACC offices.
