Transfer officers to stop them from gaining corrupt power - MP

PARLIAMENT | Amid recent exposés of corruption that saw arrests of up to 50 immigration officers, a government MP has urged the government to facilitate inter-agency transfers as a way to reduce the prevalence of such cases.

Staff rotation is an anti-corruption strategy aimed at preventing officers from staying too long in one department or area and building influence, corrupt connections, and learning how to game the system.

Teresa Kok (Harapan-Seputeh) in debating the Supply Bill 2025 said her proposed inter-agency transfers of enforcement officers could be modelled after existing mechanisms for other civil servants.

“These are (enforcement) agencies that are closed-service, so we (government) want to see how officers can be transferred among departments such as immigration, customs, MACC and even from Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

“We know there is a lot of corruption within these enforcement units and we often read about it in the papers.

“Maybe we can place all these enforcement units under one agency where the government can instruct transfers as needed,” she told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Kok gave the example of an immigration officer who has been with the department his entire career and how the person can be treated like other civil servants and transferred to other enforcement units.

Malaysiakini previously reported that despite the arrest of over 50 immigration officers linked to the medical visa and counter-setting syndicate, the so-called masterminds, identified as Tok Yah or Tok Ayah and DK, remain untouched.

Tok Yah is reportedly a government official holding a significant position in one of the enforcement agencies.

DK is a businessperson said to be supported by another businessperson known as “Adik”.

TI-M urges govt to protect whistleblowers after Mkini exposé

Mkini hands over names of 'big fish' to home minister

'Big fish': Azam in the dark, but told they're not in syndicate

YOURSAY | Investigate leads on 'big fish', don't pass the buck

Visa syndicate: Give us names of 'big fish', Saifuddin tells Mkini