NEWLY appointed Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh said he will focus on integrity issues among the staff to overcome abuse of power in the department. 

Speaking at his first media conference today after his appointment on March 22, Ruslin said he will also emphasise on the need for each officer, especially those assigned to the enforcement division, to adhere to rules and the law.

“It would not be fair for me to point fingers at all the immigration officers when it is just a fraction of them whom I consider ‘naughty’.

“But if there is a clear act of refusal to obey orders, I will not hesitate to take stern action, not only against the rank and file but also the top management,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ruslin said the department was giving its full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the investigation into its enforcement officers suspected of being involved in a syndicate trafficking migrants from the Philippines to the peninsula.

He said the Immigration Department will not compromise if the officers concerned were found guilty and would leave it to the MACC to investigate.

“We will take stern action including dismissal if they are found guilty after going through the due process of law,” he said.

The media had earlier reported that five immigration officers were among nine individuals remanded for six days to assist in the investigation into a syndicate smuggling illegal immigrants through the Tawau Airport in Sabah.

They were alleged to have accepted bribes between RM100 and RM3,000 for every illegal immigrant from the syndicate as an inducement to release them using MyKad belonging to other persons. – Bernama, March 30, 2023.