MCBA reassesses officer protection and assets after Bukit Kayu Hitam shooting, vows to tighten security measures and continue enforcement operations.
SUNGAI BULOH: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) is reassessing asset requirements and officer protection measures following the shooting involving its Bukit Kayu Hitam commander, amid the agency’s ongoing consolidation of border functions.
Deputy director-general (management) Ismail Mokhtar said the agency is moving to strengthen its operational readiness as it absorbs responsibilities from multiple enforcement bodies.
“We are in the process of taking over from multiple agencies. This involves recruitment of personnel as well as acquisition of assets.
“Moving forward, to address and face such challenges, we will strengthen the acquisition of these assets, including applications for firearms and other necessary requirements to protect our officers,” he told reporters after the Ihya’ Ramadan programme and Iftar Ceremony with Home Ministry and MCBA personnel here.
On whether bodyguards would be assigned to commanders in high-risk locations, Ismail said MCBA would assess the need based on risk categorisation across entry points.
“MCBA has now taken over 22 entry points, and these entry points are categorised. Some are hotspots, some are normal.
“At airports the focus is more on facilitation, while at Bukit Kayu Hitam and Port Klang the focus is more on enforcement.
“So we will assess according to these categories and consider the necessary actions,” he said.
He said MCBA, which is still in its early phase, is taking over functions from six core agencies, including Customs, Immigration and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.
“This is indeed a threat to us. Our Director-General could not attend today because when the incident occurred at about 5am, by 8am he had already called us and proceeded to Bukit Kayu Hitam to assess the situation.
“Firstly, he wanted to personally check on the commander. Secondly, he wanted to meet the personnel there to boost morale and ensure we remain prepared should there be threats from any parties,” he said.
Ismail stressed that the incident would not dampen the morale of MCBA personnel and that enforcement operations would continue as usual.
“We do not view this as weakening the morale of our personnel. We will continue enforcement as usual and will further tighten measures.
“The Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) himself has stressed that we will not compromise with any threats against our personnel,” he said.
Earlier today, MCBA director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain visited the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex to assess the situation following the pre-dawn shooting.
He stressed that the agency would not compromise with any form of threat against national security personnel and described the attack as an irresponsible act that is being taken seriously.
The incident occurred at about 5.40am when two suspects on a motorcycle fired two shots at the vehicle driven by Bukit Kayu Hitam MCBA commander SAC Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir while he was on his way to perform Subuh prayers.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said preliminary investigations indicate the suspect used a semi-automatic firearm, firing two shots at the commander’s moving Proton X70 from a distance of about one metre.
He said one shot struck the right rear passenger door while another hit the front passenger door before the suspects, believed to be two men on a motorcycle wearing dark clothing and full-face helmets, fled into a nearby industrial area.
The commander, who was driving alone to perform Subuh prayers, was not injured.
The Sun Malaysia
