PKR Youth has expressed concern that the Immigration Department's faulty system, which the government spent RM29.9 million on, was potentially a threat to national security.

PKR Youth information chief Lee Chean Chung said this in reference to the first series of the Auditor-General's Report 2015 which found the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) could not accurately return information.

Lee pointed out that the audit found the real number of immigrants in the country in 2014 was 1,107,982 but the MyIMMs system showed 1,770,983, an extra of 663,001 people.

The audit report also found the number of immigrants in the country for 2013 was at 1,657,007 people but the system returned 1,381,940 people, short of 275,067.

"The issue of immigrants and foreign workers is closely linked to security and the country's sovereignty.

"How is the Malaysian government going to ensure Malaysians' security with the Immigration Department's inefficient system that fails even in the basic task of collating data on foreign workers in the country?" he said in a statement today.

Lee noted that the audit found 8,975 applications to extend work permits for foreigners through the MyEG system was also approved by the online service without the approval of immigration officers.

Furthermore, the audit also found that 3,527 foreigners listed as unfit by the system were still granted work permits.

"This verifies my previous criticism against Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for privatising the Immigration Department's functions to private companies," he said.

Lee urged Zahid to address the criticism in the Auditor-General's Report and take responsibility for the issues highlighted.