PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department, which has been riddled with problems in recent years, will from today be administered under the strictest “no-nonsense, no corruption” policy.
Its new director-general, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali, sent in from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to lead the department which had, in the past, been shoved into the spotlight for corrupt practices and sabotage, is determined to make sure that his staff is guided only by the rule of law.
“When you talk about an enforcement agency in general, we are guided only by rules and regulations, including the implementation of best practices.
“If you carry out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis, you must also look at what needs to be done at the department. We must also adopt a firm, no-nonsense attitude,” he told the New Straits Times.
Mustafar started his career at the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 1985 and was assigned to the Malaysian Institute of Integrity as deputy president from 2004 to 2006.
He returned to MACC in 2010 as investigation director and was, until yesterday, one of the commission’s deputy chief commissioners (from 2014).
Mustafar, who starts in his new role today, calls his portfolio a historic placement, as he is the first senior official from MACC to head an enforcement agency.
Although the appointment on Friday came as a surprise to him, Mustafar said he was determined to honour the huge responsibility entrusted to him, noting that while the department dealt with issues of visas, permits and even domestic helpers, it was also the first line of security screening for the country.
Mustafar is aware of the issues at hand after spending some time studying issues plaguing the department, including the latest involving the arrests of its officers suspected of sabotaging the Malaysian Immigration System (myIMMs) that had allowed the entry of thousands of undocumented foreigners.
“But, at this juncture, it won’t be fair for me to pre-empt any issues with the department. I need to learn everything there is to know about the department.”
He said he believed the modules, for a more transparent and ethical workforce, he helped create in his anti-graft days would serve him well in his new role.
Mustafar made it clear that anything less than kosher with the department’s delivery service would not get past him.
This, he said, was because those in the public service had been entrusted with powers they should never abuse.
He said there had been many improvements to the public delivery system.
“But, there are those who lack discipline or are doing what they are not supposed to. With the automation of systems like passport renewal kiosks, for instance, bureaucracy and corruption can be reduced.”
Mustafar said there was still room to counter corruption in the civil service.
He said passports, visas and foreign workers’ applications remained major issues the public had with the department, and pledged to address them.
“There are things beyond our control, but let's not waste time, effort and resources because people are watching us. The challenge is in meeting the people’s future expectations today. We must be proactive because the demand is increasing, so we must be ready.”
Mustafar said he wanted his men to be responsible and stay clear of the blame game.
This, he said, was something they would not have to worry about if they strove to do things right the first time.