MACC looks at proposal to place personnel at KLIA to curb graft, says Azam

SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is open to deploying personnel at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Sepang to curb corruption at the country's main gateway.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said they will assess the significance and feasibility of assigning their officers at the airport.

"The proposal will be considered and its significance will be studied.

"It will be considered base on the strength and number of officers available," he told Sinar, today.

On Thursday, Sinar reported that the government was urged to immediately place MACC officials at KLIA to prevent widespread corruption among enforcers.

Malaysian Corruption Watch (MCW) president Jais Abdul Karim said the presence of MACC officers at KLIA would serve as a deterrent and encourage officers to uphold integrity as gatekeepers of the country's entrance, regardless of whether their presence is noticeable.

Prior to that, the Home Ministry did not stop MACC from resuming its investigation into the alleged corruption by the Immigration Department at the KLIA entrance.

Its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the ministry will give full cooperation to MACC to complete the necessary investigation process.

Last month, a commotion at the KLIA went viral on social media when Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was accused of breaking into the international arrival hall after a Chinese national was denied entry into the country by the immigration.

The minister then claimed that there had been a corruption culture involving immigration officers in managing the arrival process of foreigners at KLIA.