KUALA LUMPUR – The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) has terminated the services of 20 officers following their involvement in “flying passport” activities over the past three years.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban confirmed that these dismissals were part of a broader disciplinary crackdown conducted between 2022 and 2025. In addition to those fired, another 41 officers faced various disciplinary actions for their roles in the illicit scheme.
The “flying passport” syndicate typically involves the fraudulent processing of travel documents, where immigration records are updated to show a traveler has entered or exited the country without them being physically present at the immigration counter.
“Out of the total number of officers investigated, 20 were handed the dismissal penalty after being found guilty of serious misconduct,” Zakaria said in a statement on Thursday. He emphasized that the actions were the result of a transparent internal probe conducted in accordance with civil service regulations.
The department’s announcement comes on the heels of a report by the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), which recently highlighted systemic integrity failures at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1. The EAIC investigation exposed how officers manipulated data entry systems to facilitate the movement of individuals who did not meet physical border requirements.
Zakaria stated that the department views the EAIC’s findings with the utmost seriousness and is actively implementing recommendations to plug loopholes.
“This decisive action reflects our zero-tolerance policy toward any form of misconduct, especially those that compromise national security and public trust,” he added.
Moving forward, the Immigration Department has pledged to strengthen its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and enhance internal monitoring mechanisms. Zakaria reassured the public that the department is committed to ensuring all personnel operate with the highest level of professionalism and integrity to safeguard the nation’s interests. (Kayla Shabirah)
