Cancel security company licenses if hiring undocumented workers - DPM

Security service companies found hiring workers without having valid documents or involved in criminal activities will have their licence cancelled without a final warning given.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the stern action taken was to prevent infiltration by terrorists into the country.

"The Home Ministry, specifically its security division which issues permits to private security service companies, has indeed tightened the procedure of hiring security guards.

"The police also do screening of each security guard to be hired to avoid what had happened in Sabah from occurring in other places," he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting, here, today.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Abdul Manan Ismail (BN-Paya Besar) on whether the Home Ministry was reviewing the procedure of hiring security guards following the case of security guards suspected of being members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group and who had used fake identity documents in applying for the job.

Prior to this, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun had disclosed that seven Filipinos suspected of being involved with the Abu Sayyaf group were arrested in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur on Sept 14, with all of them aged between 22 and 38 years, working as security guards with a number of private companies.

READ: Eight arrested over suspected terror links

Ahmad Zahid said the government had meanwhile instructed all enforcement agencies especially those stationed at the border areas with the Philippines to step up their security control.

He said this followed the aggressive action taken by the Philippine government in the massive fight against the terror group which had increased the risk of its members infiltrating Malaysia.

"From the efforts undertaken including intelligence information gathering with neighbouring countries, police managed to arrest seven Abu Sayyaf followers masquerading as security guards. All of them are still under police investigation and I do not wish to reveal more on this matter," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said police had also increased cooperation with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission in efforts to identify and take action against website and social media account owners involved in spreading the ideology of the Daesh terror group.

To a supplementary question from M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) on the cancellation of the 'Octoberfest' beer festival, claimed to be due to information received on a planned attack against the event by a certain group, he said police had arrested three individuals over the plan.

"Other information are being gathered and police have identified the related individuals. That is why the Inspector-General of Police had given a warning earlier to cancel the event," he said, adding that the action was taken for the good of all.