DAP MP chides Immigration Dept for lack of action over passport scandal

DAP MP chides Immigration Dept for lack of action over passport scandal

Published: Feb 20, 2025 5:59 PM
Updated: 8:59 PM


Summary

• DAP MP Lim Lip Eng takes the Immigration Department to task for its lack of accountability over allegations that one of its officers was caught in possession of 12 foreign passports at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

• He says the authorities would have acted swiftly if it had involved an ordinary citizen.

• Lim adds the case raises serious concerns about a possible high-level cover-up.

DAP MP Lim Lip Eng criticised the Immigration Department for its lack of accountability over allegations that one of its officers was caught in possession of 12 foreign passports at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“Had this been an ordinary citizen, they would have been dragged into custody without hesitation.

“However, when those entrusted with national security are involved, the system seems more inclined to protect its own.

“This isn’t incompetence - it’s a failure of accountability. The public demands real answers, not another internal review that leads nowhere,” he told Malaysiakini today.

‘Tucked in waistband’

According to a police report lodged on Jan 7, an immigration officer said she spotted her colleague sleeping in the meeting room of the Terminal 2 operations office at KLIA.

“Since it was not break time and was close to the shift change at 7.30am, I decided to wake the officer. Upon arriving at the meeting room, I found the officer lying on a chair in full immigration uniform.

“Since the uniform was not worn properly, I noticed a book resembling a passport tucked into the waistband of the officer’s pants. I immediately woke the officer and conducted an initial inspection,” she said.

The officer said she found 12 passports from various countries hidden in the waistband.

KLIA Terminal 2

“I then took the passports and reported the matter to the head of immigration at Terminal 2,” read the police report sighted by Malaysiakini.

Earlier today, Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said his team had launched an integrity investigation on the matter, which occurred on Jan 1.

He also said the case has been classified as a departmental matter.

“An integrity investigation file has been opened, and KLIA Immigration has taken preliminary action by reassigning the officer to the KLIA Immigration Depot while the probe is ongoing.

“However, the officer has yet to report to the new duty station. The integrity investigation process is still ongoing,” Zakaria was reported as saying.

‘High-level cover up’

Unimpressed, Lim berated Zakaria and reminded the latter that the case raises serious concerns about a possible high-level cover-up.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng

He also questioned why it took a full week to report the matter to the authorities.

“And why did the police dismiss it as a mere ‘departmental matter’ instead of handing it over to the MACC for a full corruption probe?” the Kepong lawmaker asked.

Lim also lamented that despite all this, the officer involved was merely reassigned instead of facing arrest and being prosecuted.

“This isn’t a minor workplace infraction - it’s a deliberate manipulation of national entry and exit records, a direct security threat, and a serious criminal offence.

“Yet, the authorities downplay it as an ‘integrity violation’,” he added.

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kt comments:

We all KNOW why no action has been taken.