Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency to develop its own intelligence capability after initial omission at formation, says Home Minister.
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (Agensi Kawalan dan Perlindungan Sempadan, AKPS) will establish its own intelligence capability, with the Home Ministry acknowledging that the element was not included when the agency was first formed.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said AKPS could no longer rely solely on intelligence from other enforcement bodies and must develop its own unit suited to its operational culture.
“We already have intelligence elements in various agencies – under the police, under the armed forces, under Customs. All agencies have them.
“So we have two choices. If we do not establish it, we will rely entirely on intelligence elements from other agencies.
“If we have it, we have the opportunity to build an intelligence and information unit that suits AKPS’ own work culture,” he said at a press conference at Putrajaya headquarters today.
Saifuddin said the issue had been overlooked at the early stage of AKPS’ establishment.
“When AKPS was first set up, we did not include this element. We overlooked it.
“But AKPS later felt that this element must exist,” he said.
He added that he had given full discretion to AKPS director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain to carry out recruitment aligned with the agency’s functions.
“Here, I give full discretion to the AKPS Director-General to carry out recruitment suitable to AKPS’ functions, and we will continue to support this because it is important.
“Information does not come rolling in on its own. We must plan strategy, we must have clear planning, and the accuracy of information will contribute to the success of our operations,” he said.
Earlier during his speech to AKPS personnel, Saifuddin said the intelligence element was now seen as critical to prevent operational leaks and strengthen enforcement readiness.
“At the beginning, we did not include the intelligence element, because we thought we could rely on other agencies.
“But later we realised we must have our own element,” he said.
He stressed that AKPS required officers with specific competencies for the role.
“When we want to carry out operations, we cannot allow leaks. Operations that leak cannot succeed,” he said.
Saifuddin also revealed that AKPS personnel stationed at border points had already faced threats from criminal elements and syndicates.
“In these 13 months, our officers stationed at the borders have received threats from various parties, including criminal elements and syndicates.
“I want to state clearly: we will not bow to such threats.”
He said AKPS, as a border enforcement agency operating under the rule of law, must stand firm in carrying out its duties despite intimidation.
The intelligence unit is expected to complement AKPS’ broader efforts to strengthen border control as the agency continues consolidating enforcement functions from multiple departments under a single command structure.
