Home Ministry told to expedite payment to immigration officers

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa said the government had previously approved the incentive to be paid to 4,000 eligible immigration enforcement officers nationwide.

"The enforcement officers involved are the superintendents, assistant superintendents and grade 54 officers who have been assigned with enforcement tasks in the field and at immigration depots.

"I have told the ministry and the Immigration Department to expedite the implementation (payment) using the ministry's budget," he told reporters after the closing of Immigration Officers Grade KP19 Series 2/2016 Basic Course parade here today.

Ali said the incentive was a decision by the government to meet the demands of immigration union so that its officers were allocated with such enforcement incentive as enjoyed by other law enforcement agencies.

About 4,000 immigration enforcement officers nationwide will receive the incentive.

He said with the incentive given to the officers, it was hoped the ministry and the Immigration department could increase their revenues through issuance of more summonses, thus instill discipline to the public.

"It is not just the Immigration (Department). In fact, all ministries and government departments are thinking of the (National) Blue Ocean Strategy's methods on how to contribute to the country's revenue, be they finding new source of income or reducing overall costs," he said.

Meanwhile, Ali said officers from the Immigration Department could now stand a chance to hold director positions at state level which was previously held by officers in the Administrative and Diplomatic Service Scheme (PTD).

"We will embark on the process and the Home Ministry, as well as the department will be recommending names of the eligible officers who can lead at state level," he said.

On another development, Ali said the government would study the needs on the proposed six-hour working hours as reported by an electronic media.

"We will look at it and study the proposal. We will also look at a suggestion on working from home for certain schemes," he said.

Earlier in his speech, Ali said the Immigration Department had been allocated with RM36 million through the 2016 budget, under the Security and Public Order, to build offices, staff quarters and to upgrade its detention depots nationwide.