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PETALING JAYA: The Department of Immigration and the Department of National Registration must be revamped to eliminate traitors, says the National Association of Patriots (Patriot).
Patriot Chairman Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said the alleged involvement of public officials in MyKad sales and human trafficking networks justified the need for a total overhaul of the two departments.
“Any illegal activity carried out by officials of the two agencies amounts to treason.
“Patriot urges the government to undertake a complete renovation of the departments and department heads must be clearly told that they must accept full responsibility and accountability going forward for any failure within their respective departments,” he said on Saturday (21 of November ).
He said this in response to recent arrests involving immigration officials as the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) carried out investigations into corrupt practices associated with a human trafficking ring.
“The large number of arrests is an indication of the inherent weakness in the management, operation and control of the Immigration Department,” Arshad said.
He also pointed out that in September last year, 20 officers from the National Registration Department were arrested in Penang for allegedly selling Malaysian identification documents to foreigners for a fee ranging from RM 100,000 to RM 600,000.
“The NRD deputy state director was reported to be involved,” he said.
The barrage of arrests of immigration officers by the MACC was cause for concern, he said.
On Friday (November 20), four people, including an immigration officer linked to a trafficking ring involving foreign workers from China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh, were arrested.
Authorities had seized cash worth more than RM800,000,26 luxury cars and four high-powered motorcycles.
On November 17, MACC arrested 27 immigration officers and 19 civilians in a nationwide raid.
And in early February this year, six men, including an official from the Penang Immigration Department, were arrested for organizing a robbery in Bukit Mertajam.
“It misrepresents the leadership of the department who should know that their work requires strict adherence to rules and procedures.
“It is incredible that so many recalcitrant officers have been allowed to carry out their illegal activities for over a year, without their superiors realizing it.
“Unless, of course, the superiors themselves are part of the illegal activity,” he said.
Arshad said the government should impose zero tolerance to end such activities that could undermine national security and sovereignty.
“The Immigration Department and the NRD are two critical departments that must be under the scrutiny of the relevant investigative and security agencies,” he said.
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