KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department aims to fully rotate its personnel to eradicate integrity issues by mid-next year.
Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the move is a measure to minimise the risk of misconduct, including issues related to counter setting.
"We also have taken steps to limit the duration any staff can serve at Immigration counters to no more than five years.
"Currently, we have achieved a 65 per cent key performance indicator (KPI) for staff rotation and we aim to implement a 100 per cent rotation system by mid-next year.
"However, we need to ensure proper planning to avoid disruptions to daily operations. New staff require training and experience to handle immigration processes efficiently," he told reporters in his corporate visit to Media Prima Berhad today.
Zakaria also said that the rotation period for Immigration personnel would be between three and five years.
Zakaria earlier toured toured Media Prima's News and Current Affairs Division facilities in Balai Berita, Jalan Riong, Bangsar.
Also present were MPB Group Chairman Datuk Seri Syed Hussian Aljunid, Media Prima Omnia Chief Operating Officer (Sales) Mohd Efendi Omar, Deputy Group Managing Editor Farrah Naz Karim and Media Prima Television Network News and Current Affairs group editor Azhari Muhidin.
Commenting on the Migrant Repatriation Programme which ends on Dec 31, Zakaria said the department has 202,245 individual registrations.
"To date, 202,245 individuals have registered, and nearly 80 per cent have been repatriated. This repatriation programme allows undocumented migrants or those without valid passes to return to their home countries.
"After the programme ends, legal action will be taken against those who do not participate or remain in the country illegally and enforcement operations will continue to tackle this issue," he said.