2 April 2022
The Home Ministry has reactivated the list of individuals banned from entering the country due to convictions following the reopening of Malaysia’s borders after entering the transition into the endemic phase of Covid-19 on Friday (April 1).
Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the action is being taken to ensure that national security is at the highest level.
“We do not state from which country, but there is a blacklist that we have already prepared to ensure that they will not be permitted to enter our country,” he said at a media conference after the Batu Kurau constituency mosque and surau donation presentation ceremony here on Saturday.
Hamzah said security agencies had been instructed to prepare over a month ago to boost security at the country’s entry points after the Cabinet agreed to reopen the country’s borders.
“Whatever we do, we must be prepared to prioritise national security because even if someone enters normally, it doesn’t mean they will not commit a crime because many who entered tried to commit crimes and offences in our country.
“We need to defend not only our country’s dignity but also its citizens’ safety, and foreigners who enter Malaysia will also feel relieved that the country is safe to visit,” he added.
On whether the National Action Plan for Countering Violent Extremism needs to be reviewed, he said the ministry, through the special committee, is always studying the list of individuals who had committed offences, including extremism and terrorism, to ensure that the list remains relevant.
He said the authorities had also tightened border controls to curb smuggling activities, especially drug trafficking, and any individual found trying to smuggle contraband would be caught and brought to the court without compromise.
Meanwhile, when asked about the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia for the recruitment and protection of Indonesian domestic servants in the country, Hamzah said applications must be made legally.
“We will catch anyone who violates the law, not only foreigners who enter, but also catch and punish those here who might turn domestic servants into victims,” he said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said at a joint media conference with Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) following the signing that the MoU will ensure the recruitment process and the protection mechanism are implemented comprehensively by related parties according to policies and legal provisions in both countries.
Source: www.theedgemarkets.com
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