Body cam proposal for Immigration officers

THE use of body-worn cameras by Immigration officers is among several proposals to improve the standard operating procedure and protocols for handling travellers who have been denied entry into the country.

William Leong Jee Kin (PH-Selayang), who is Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform chairman, said Immigration officers should be more flexible as there had been a change in travelling patterns and trends.

He also called for an end to the practice of confiscating mobile phones.

“Nowadays, people no longer carry physical return flight tickets. Most of them store the tickets in their phones.

“They also do not need to show they have a certain amount of money on hand as most travellers use e-wallets and credit cards.

“Not all travellers stay in hotels now, and some opt for other types of lodging, such as bed-andbreakfast,” he said at a press conference in Parliament yesterday.

Leong said Article 5.9 and 5.9.1 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation should be considered for inclusion in the amendments to the Immigration Act 1959/63, in line with international guidelines.

Special select committee member Khoo Poay Tiong said the proposal for body-worn cameras was prompted by an incident last year when Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing had to enter Immigration counters at the KLIA Terminal 1’s arrival hall to “rescue” a Chinese national who was detained upon entering the country.

The Kota Melaka member of parliament said donning body-worn cameras could prevent such incidents from recurring and ensure transparency and accountability.

“There have been incidents where (travellers) had complained that they were brought to a dark room, detained and asked for bribes.

“That’s why we are asking for Immigration officers to be rotated every three to six months and to wear body-worn cameras.

“We want to be fair to all, including Immigration officers.”