Malaysian Customs trains 65 officers in behavioural analysis to identify suspicious travellers, balancing trade facilitation with national security.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has trained 65 frontline officers in Neuro-Linguistic and Neuro-Diversity Programming.
Director-General Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said the training enhances their ability to identify suspicious passenger behaviours.
The trained officers can now assess passengers’ facial expressions, body language and movements during inspections.
This enables more detailed checks to be carried out on individuals deemed suspicious.
“The approach based on specialised training, intelligence and technology helps the department balance between the need to facilitate legitimate trade and ensuring that law enforcement is implemented effectively to protect national security and public safety,” she said on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme.
Anis Rizana said the department is also strengthening enforcement by harnessing intelligence, regional cooperation and data analytics.
This ensures more precise and targeted actions against prohibited goods.
She said vigilance refers to Customs’ role in ensuring dangerous goods are not brought into the country.
This is achieved through container inspections and compliance with permit requirements set by relevant agencies.
“Customs detains containers to ensure imported goods are safe, do not pollute the environment and comply with the law, including permit requirements from agencies such as the Department of Environment,” she said.
On a separate matter, Anis Rizana said the 44th International Customs Day will be celebrated on Jan 26 in Cyberjaya.
The event will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The celebration will feature various activities, including exhibitions of seized items open to the public.
This year’s celebration theme is ‘Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment’.
