PUTRAJAYA: The government cannot afford to have any of its team members sticking to the corrupt practices of the past, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He urged the Immigration Department to continue the improvements and progress it has made to ensure Malaysia’s good image among foreigners.
He said this is especially important since immigration officers are among the first people that foreign tourists meet upon entering the country.
“When I say we’re a team, I don’t just mean the Cabinet members and those (with higher) positions. All of us are civil servants, we are all part of the same team.
“So stop the old practices that are not in line with the Madani government and the reforms we are bringing.
“The hopes and dreams of this Madani government are like (climbing) a mountain, which means we must keep moving and we can’t remain complacent like before.
“The (recent) Ramadan month saw a lot of good progress happening (among civil servants), so let’s not revert to the old practices now that the Ramadan month is over,” he said in his speech at the Immigration Department’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration at its headquarters here yesterday.
The Prime Minister also said while a negative perception is still held among some segments of the public, there was only a “small group of bad apples” in the Immigration Department.
“Is it true there is a small group damaging the image? Yes. Is there corruption among (Immigration) officers? Yes. Are there discipline issues among some? Yes. Has any (officer) revealed the location of a raid before it is conducted? Also yes.
“So, fix that small group of people,” he said.
