PAS Youth has urged authorities and the public not to allow the controversy surrounding a viral CCTV recording involving Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain to overshadow wider concerns over security and enforcement integrity at the country’s entry points.
Its chief, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, said the recording had triggered various reactions, but attention should not be confined to the few seconds captured in the viral footage.
Instead, he said, broader questions surrounding security, integrity and possible weaknesses within the enforcement system at the country’s entry points should also be examined.
“The matter is currently under investigation by the authorities. We do not want to pre-empt the investigation or pass judgment on any party.
“At the same time, we cannot turn a blind eye to the bigger questions concerning security, integrity and the possibility of leaks within the enforcement system at the country’s entry points,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Afnan said the incident, based on AKPS’ explanation, occurred on Sept 28 during an enforcement operation against a foreign national suspected of involvement in an illegal tout syndicate at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
He said questions had since emerged over the presence of individuals who were not part of the operation and were allegedly recording the incident.
Afnan stressed that PAS Youth did not want to pre-empt the investigation or pass judgment on any party, but said the potential threat to the security of Malaysia’s entry points and borders must also be addressed.
He pointed to AKPS’ previously reported enforcement efforts, saying the agency had recorded more than RM265 million in seizures and government revenue leakages addressed so far this year, compared with RM80 million last year.
He also cited reports of frequent attempts to smuggle drugs through airports, saying the figures demonstrated that threats to the country’s entry points and borders should be taken seriously.
PAS Youth, he said, supported professional and integrity-driven efforts by AKPS and other enforcement agencies to tackle smuggling, corruption, abuse of power, undocumented entry and other forms of cross-border crime.
“We also appreciate Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily’s firmness in efforts to strengthen AKPS enforcement.
“At the same time, all allegations relating to the viral incident must be investigated independently, transparently and fairly. No one should be above the law,” he said.
Afnan said efforts to strengthen security at the country’s entry points should not stop because of a single controversy.
If officers, intermediaries, syndicates or other parties were found to have colluded to leak operations, protect syndicates, facilitate smuggling or enable illegal entry, he said they should be identified, investigated and brought to justice in accordance with the law.
He added that PAS Youth lawmakers would continue raising questions concerning border security and enforcement integrity in Parliament during the upcoming sitting.
“We want the government to explain the extent to which these syndicates have penetrated the country’s enforcement system, what weaknesses remain at international entry points and what comprehensive measures are being taken to ensure enforcement personnel cannot be influenced or exploited by syndicates,” he said.
Afnan, who is also Alor Setar MP, said PAS Youth would continue monitoring information, reports and disclosures from members of the public, former personnel and witnesses concerning alleged misconduct that could threaten national security.
He urged anyone with credible information to submit it to the authorities for professional investigation.
“This issue is bigger than one CCTV recording. It concerns who is guarding our country’s entry points. It concerns institutional integrity. And most importantly, it concerns Malaysia’s sovereignty,” he said.
Afnan said scrutiny of the viral recording should not cause questions about what happens behind the country’s entry points to be overlooked.
