20 immigration officers have tested positive for Covid-19 so far

 

Immigration staff were on the frontlines during enforcement operations in enhanced movement control order (EMCO) areas.

PUTRAJAYA: Almost 3,500 officers from the Immigration Department had undergone Covid-19 screenings as of Nov 25, with 3,000 of them having been quarantined and 20 testing positive.

Its director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said immigration staff faced risks as frontliners, being exposed to the virus due to close contact with foreigners and illegal immigrants, whose health conditions were unknown.

However, he said, the department remained committed in implementing the government’s foreigner entry policy, decided through the National Security Council (MKN) which witnessed 1,332 imported positive cases detected as of Nov 30.

“They are not only the first guardians of the country’s entry point facing foreign visitors who pose the risk of having Covid-19, but are also directly involved in tasks related to the control and prevention of the pandemic,” he said in a statement released in conjunction with Immigration Day 2020 today.

Immigration Dept DG Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

He said the department’s involvement also covers foreign national’s treatment and quarantine centres, such as at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), Serdang and enforcement operations in enhanced movement control order (EMCO) areas.

Khairul said between January and Nov 30 this year, JIM had carried out 6,379 enforcement operations nationwide, involving inspections of 93,475 individuals and detentions of 34,920 illegal immigrants and 376 employers.

In conjunction with the celebration, Khairul also launched the Immigration Department’s Anti-Corruption Plan 2020-2024, which focused on a more transparent governance and making high integrity as a way of life, in carrying out the duty as a law enforcer. - FMT