KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Secretary-General for Consumer Empowerment of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, has been appointed as the new Director-General of Immigration, effective today.

Zakaria replaces Datuk Ruslin Jusoh, who has been appointed as the new Director-General of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), also effective today.

The Immigration Department (JIM), in a Facebook post, announced that the handover ceremony for the Director-General position from Ruslin to Zakaria was held at the Immigration Headquarters in Putrajaya today.

With over 25 years of experience in public service, Zakaria began his career at KPDN before contributing his expertise to various ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, and the Ministry of Higher Education.

He has also served at the Public Service Department, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, the Prime Minister’s Department, the National Disaster Management Agency, and the Immigration Department.

“All of us at JIM welcome and wish YBhg. Dato’ Zakaria bin Shaaban all the best in his new role,“ read the post.

JIM also expressed its appreciation to Ruslin for his service as the director-general of the department since March 22, 2023.

Meanwhile, AADK, in a statement today, confirmed that Ruslin had been appointed as the 13th Director-General of the agency.

He replaces Sutekno Ahmad Belon, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Human Resources as the Deputy Secretary-General (Operations).

“AADK extends its heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Ruslin on his appointment. We also express our gratitude and thanks to Sutekno for his service during his tenure as AADK’s Director-General,“ AADK stated in the post.