Loopholes in immigration laws allow for counter-setting, says lawyer

Free Malaysia Today

T Harpal Singh also urged airport data system upgrades to block counter-setting, including through secure passport checks and passenger tracking.  Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/09/24/loopholes-in-immigration-laws-allow-for-counter-setting-says-lawyer  Laporan Lanjut: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2025/09/24/akta-imigresen-lompong-buka-ruang-pegawai-terlibat-counter-setting-kata-peguam  Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5 Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTNews #Travellers #CounterSetting #Immigration

Transcript

00:00Legal loopholes in the Immigration Act 1959 and 1963 have allowed rogue officers to participate

00:07in a counter-setting cartel, says lawyer T Harpao Singh.

00:11Counter-setting refers to the corrupt practice of allowing travellers to bypass standard

00:16immigration checks at the country's entry points.

00:19Harpao said the Act does not list immigration officers' duties, such as verifying passports

00:24and visas or checking if travellers are blacklisted, and failure to comply with standard

00:29operating procedures only results in internal disciplinary action.

00:34Part 4 of the Act outlines officers' powers, including the power to seize, detain, and

00:39forfeit vessels, vehicles, or aircraft, but not their specific duties, with FMT confirming

00:45that the Act lacks explicit mention of those responsibilities.

00:49Harpao called for the Act to be amended and airport systems upgraded to prevent officers

00:54from bypassing procedures and engaging in counter-setting.

00:58He dismissed immigration director-general Zakaria Shakban's claim that the department can't

01:03take further action, saying counter-setting may fall under anti-trafficking laws.

01:08Separately, an immigration officer-turned-lawyer who requested anonymity also called on the

01:14government to draw up a bold civil service policy, mandating that officers convicted of

01:19criminal offences be mandatorily discharged from service, and for an independent integrity

01:24tribunal under parliament.

01:26Pan Yujo, FMT.

01:27Pan Yujo, FMT.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended