KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — The installation of automatic gates at Malaysia’s entry points, under the supervision of the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), will begin in the second quarter of next year, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the adoption of technology would reduce physical interactions at immigration counters, thereby streamlining processes and addressing integrity-related issues.
“This initiative is a key step towards strengthening border control, curbing smuggling activities and managing refugee-related issues in the country,” he said.
Saifuddin was speaking as a panellist at the Madani Malaysian Scholars Forum, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, themed ‘Integrity and Leadership’.
Earlier, media reported that the Home Ministry planned to install 635 autogates at 123 entry points under AKPS.
Saifuddin added that integrity remains the most critical and non-negotiable aspect in safeguarding national security and sovereignty.
He noted that enforcement agencies under the ministry are responsible for monitoring 600,000 sq km of Malaysian waters and face a range of cross-border criminal threats.
These include smuggling of drugs, firearms, cooking oil, diesel and petrol, as well as piracy, the entry of illegal immigrants and refugee-related concerns.
“Our region is a hotspot for synthetic drugs, with 80 per cent entering via maritime routes. We cannot keep doing the same things and expect better outcomes. That is why we must embrace technology,” he said.
Also present at the forum were Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM) chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Ramdzan Daud and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Institute of Malaysian and International Studies' Prof Datuk Abdul Rahman Embong.
