I welcome with caution the appointment of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) outgoing deputy chief commissioner, Mustafar Ali, as the new director-general of the Immigration Department replacing Sakib Kusmi.
The Immigration Department is in a crisis today.
The crux of this problem is; on one hand, the loose border control which allowed between 2-3 million undocumented migrants into this country and on the other hand, the “disorganised, haphazard, random and senseless” migrant workers policy which messed up our own job market.
The two key factor which contributed to these problems are, firstly the insider syndicate which has been facilitating human trafficking and illegal migration activities, and secondly, the Malaysian Migrant Industrial Complex, an exclusive and lucrative club of a handful of private contractors supplying services to the Immigration Department which continues to rake billions of ringgit in profit at the expense of rational economic and job policies.
Mustafar has ample experience in fighting corruption
It is undeniable that Mustafar brings with him, his experience fighting corruption at the highest level being the second man of MACC. This will certainly be useful to clean up the department.
However, what I am afraid is that his hands will be tied by political masters. MACC’s failure to deal with the Prime Minister’s RM2.6 billion donation is a deep scar in Mustafar’s track record, if any.
As such, will he now be able to stand up against corruptors in the Immigration Department?
Full support for the new DG to overhaul the department
Nevertheless, we are willing to lend him the fullest support to clean up and reform the Immigration Department.
If he is sincere, Mustafar should initiate the following measures within the first month as director-general of the Immigration Department:
- Stop and review all private vendor contracts by Immigration Department since January 2015. Open tender should be conducted for all contracts henceforth;
- Initiate a high-level inter-departmental investigation team to be lead by the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission (EAIC) together with MACC and police, to totally crush the insider syndicate operating human trafficking activities;
- Support our call for the formation of a Royal Commission on Immigration Reform to fully clean up the whole department.
Rest be assured, conscientious Members of Parliament and Malaysians will stand with him in his new task if he puts duty before self.