Customs official lodges police, EAIC reports over 'punitive transfers'

Customs official lodges police, EAIC reports over 'punitive transfers'

B Nantha Kumar
Published: Dec 23, 2025 8:00 PM
Updated: Dec 24, 2025 12:18 AM



A senior official from the Customs Department has lodged reports with the police and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) claiming he was subjected to “punitive transfers” twice, in less than two months.

This comes after it was claimed that the official had leaked documents linking the department's top leadership to allegations of abuse of power.

According to information obtained by Malaysiakini, the official lodged a police report on Dec 18 at the Satok police station in Kuching.

In the report, sighted by Malaysiakini, the official claimed he was subjected to “punitive transfers” without reasonable justification, adding he was also denied a fair internal probe.

The official said he was first issued an immediate transfer order from the Selangor Customs Department to its Sarawak chapter on Oct 23 - a move he described as “unusual” for an officer of his rank.

Orders from Putrajaya?

Subsequently, on Dec 17, the official received an internal transfer order, where he was moved from the Compliance Division to the Internal Tax Division, which he alleged was done without official explanation.

The official stated that he was informed by a top Sarawak Customs Department officer that the order came directly from a high-ranking customs official based in Putrajaya.

The official alleged he was being targeted after he was suspected of disseminating viral emails or poison pen letters linking a senior customs official with a politician from Peninsular Malaysia.

When contacted, Kuching district police chief Alexan Naga Chabu confirmed receiving the report.

An official EAIC notice, sighted by Malaysiakini, states that the official’s report has been registered as a complaint regarding dissatisfaction with the department’s management.

It is also understood that the commission is investigating the case for alleged misconduct and abuse of power by enforcement officers.

Malaysiakini has contacted EAIC for comments.

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Uncle military story:

Once the Armed Forces had a contractor (named, say, 'ABC') supplying food rations to its numerous units. Daily an officer would check the 'quality' and quantity of said ration. If said officer complained or submitted an adverse report on the ration he might find himself transferred or posted immediately - the posting or transfer was called an 'ABC' posting, such was the power of that contractor.