If recent reports in the media on Ishak Mohamed, the Immigration Department’s enforcement director, are anything to go by, this widely known no-nonsense man, a man of principle he is, has decided to opt for early retirement rather than being transferred to another ministry.

The media reports point to several possibilities. Either he is envied by the top guys in the home ministry, maybe even the minister himself, or some corrupt forces are having a tough time flourishing what with the ever increasing tough measures implemented to weed out illegals.

The irony is both suggest possible political interventions rearing with corrupt intentions.

‘Invisible hands’ work in most unusual ways but we can see it at work in this issue. Why do our politicians have to mess up everything good happening in our country? Especially so, bearing in mind, that the immigration department is one of the most corrupted ‘stations’ in the country. As in getting foreign workers, the business of bringing them in is in itself is the main business of the corrupt.

If this man, Ishak is doing such a magnificent job in the immigration department, why is he being transferred out? Guess who will benefit if Ishak is transferred out?

The prime minister must stop mulling over this for longer than necessary. On his way out, maybe Pak Lah could do another good deed for our beloved country. Stop playing into wrong hands and stop wrong hands from playing.

We suggest to the prime minister to please lift the phone and recall Ishak Mohamed at once and hand him back to his enforcement division or better still promote him and keep him in the immigration department.

For god’s sake, let him complete all the good things he is putting in place. Let him weed out the corrupt practices there.

Politicians like the home ministers do come and go, but it is dedicated civil servants like Ishak Mohamed who keeps the country moving forward. We cannot let him be removed and allow corrupt practices to continue to have their field days in immigration.