KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Nur Jazlan bin Mohamed, yesterday stressed on the importance of maintaining and enforcing integrity among Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) officers.

“If you make a mistake, there are thousands more (job seekers) who want to enter the public sector. Do not think there is no one to replace you,” he said, when gracing the presentation of Excellent Services Award (APC) ceremony for year 2015 to 81 immigration officers in Sabah and Labuan here yesterday.

Nur Jazlan said immigration officers should perform their duty with total integrity and diligence.

While the JIM deserved the Five-Star Award for Public Sector Agency 2015-2016 presented in April this year, Nur Jazlan said, the award would be meaningless if the image of integrity of JIM did not exist among the community.

He pointed out that a bad apple would spoil the whole bunch.

“It is difficult to achieve success, it is even harder maintaining it.”

In his speech, Nur Jazlan said, JIM needed to change with the times so that its role remained relevant in the current security landscape, and it has to take the initiative to move forward to ensure the security, progress and competitiveness of the country.

“This year, I wish to see a far wider and sterner enforcement by JIM to safeguard peace by using all existing legal channels to combat the influx of illegal immigrants (PATI), smuggling of migrants, syndicates and activities which threaten the community.”

On a related note, Nur Jazlan warned JIM officers against abusing the social media to tarnish the department and expose government secrets.

“Such actions would certainly have serious repercussions.”

On the other hand, Nur Jazlan noted, JIM played a significant role in Sabah following the intrusion into the east coast of Sabah in March 2013.

“The Home Ministry always ensures the security issue and influx of PATI in Sabah are resolved holistically for the well-being of the people in the State.”

Following the abduction on April 1 this year, he said, the State Security Working Committee (JKKN) has ordered a suspension of all barter trade activities, transhipment trade in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone), postponement of the ferry service proposal between Kudat and Palawan, Philippines, modified the implementation concept of curfew and looked into the security threats of pump boats in Sabah, among others.

“JIM and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) will continue to cooperate in making sure that the security goals are met through the Blue Ocean Strategy. The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) operations carried out daily which involve JIM and PDRM should be a continuous effort.”

Meanwhile, JIM director-general, Dato’ Sri Sakib bin Kusmi, said the department is in the process of achieving ‘Total Transformation’, encompassing aspects such as human capital, organizational structure, delivery system and common values.

“The involvement of all JIM staff from the top-down and bottom-up is required to realize the planned transformations.

“The improvements drawn out by the top leadership of JIM can be implemented effectively if all JIM officials perform their duties out of the box and find creative and innovative approaches to achieve the desired outcome.”

He added that the integrity of civil servants were one of the important elements in an effective delivery service system.

“Integrity comprises four elements, namely integrity, ability, adaptability and loyalty. Hence, all civil servants should possess value of trustworthiness, reliability, honesty and noble characteristics.”

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Chok Sim Yee

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