KUALA LUMPUR — The arrest of senior customs officers for alleged corruption by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is to enhance the image and integrity of the Royal Customs and Excise Department.

MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed said the collaboration between the customs and the MACC shows that the government is serious in fighting corruption.

“This is one way to improve the integrity of the Customs Department. The people should not view it from a negative angle. It is a cleansing process.

“Corruption does not involve all customs officers. It is important to prevent a repeat in the future,” he told Bernama after the Ruang Bicara programme on Bernama TV today.

Abu Kassim stressed that MACC’s Consulting and Inspection Division will work with the Customs Department to identify management areas with high risk of fraud and corruption.

“Currently, Malaysia is said to be among the countries with high outflow of dirty money in the world.

“The Consulting and Inspection Division will focus on the Duty Free Zone and conduct a thorough examination,” he added.

A total of 30 senior customs officers and staff were arrested since Sept 2 in a special MACC operation against the smuggling of liquor with losses of RM4 billion to the country.

Of the total, 25 people had been charged in the Special Corruption Sessions Courts in Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.

Their arrests followed monitoring of more than year in the Port Klang Duty Free Zone.

Resource : Bernama Online