Monitoring unit will weed out corrupt Customs officers

They will focus on syndicates found to be in cahoots with department staff. Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy

KAJANG: Bad apples among Customs officers will be weeded out with the setting up of a new unit, says Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy.

The Customs director-general said the unit would handle all internal investigations on suspected corrupt personnel.

“They would not submit the findings to the respective heads at the state level.

“Instead, the reports will come direct to me,” he said at the Judicial and Legal Training Institute in Bangi yesterday.

Subromaniam admitted that there were issues involving integrity, corruption and abuse of power within the department.

“Customs is huge with over 14,000 personnel. So far, we have sent 27 young officers for training and they will act as a monitoring unit.

“They will report directly to me and have the authority to investigate personnel, regardless of rank,” he said.

The unit was officially activated on Jan 2 and the officers would start their new roles tomorrow.

“They will focus on syndicates found to be in cahoots with department staff,” he said.

On another matter, Subromaniam said two Pakistani nationals were the first to be charged under the amended Customs Act 1967 and the Excise Act 1976.

Both pleaded guilty to possessing illegal cigarettes worth RM152 and sentenced to a RM100,000 fine.

Six more cases are due to be brought to court this week.

Subromaniam said before this, punishments were as low as a RM1,000 fine or a day’s jail.

“The stiffer penalties would lead to more people complying with the law,” he said.