20 Immigration Dept officers tested positive for Covid-19, to date
COVID-19 | Almost 3,500 officers of the Immigration Department have undergone Covid-19 screenings as of Nov 25, with 3,000 of them quarantined and 20 were treated after being tested positive.
Department director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said immigration personnel faced risks of being exposed to the virus because they are in close contact with foreigners and undocumented migrants, whose health conditions are unknown, as part of the frontliners...
COVID-19 | As frontliners, immigration staff are at risk of getting the virus from close contact with foreigners.
COVID-19 | Almost 3,500 officers of the Immigration Department had undergone Covid-19 screenings as of Nov 25, with 3,000 of them quarantined and 20 were treated after being tested positive.
Department director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said immigration personnel faced risks of being exposed to the virus because they are in close contact with foreigners and undocumented migrants, whose health conditions are unknown, as part of the frontliners.
However, he said, the department remained committed to implementing the government’s foreigner entry policy, decided through the National Security Council (NSC) which witnessed 1,332 imported positive cases detected as of Nov 30.
“Not only are they the first guardians of the country’s entry point to face foreign visitors who pose the risk of carrying Covid-19 virus, but they are also directly involved in tasks related to the control and prevention of the pandemic,” Khairul Dzaimee said in a statement in conjunction with the Immigration Day 2020 celebration yesterday.
He said the department’s involvement could be seen at the treatment and quarantine centres for foreign nationals, such as at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps), and enforcement operations in enhanced movement control order (MCO) areas.
Between January and Nov 30, he said, the department had carried out 6,379 enforcement operations nationwide, involving inspections of 93,475 individuals and detentions of 34,920 undocumented migrants and 376 employers.
In conjunction with the celebration, Khairul Dzaimee also launched the department's Anti-Corruption Plan 2020-2024, which focuses on more transparent governance and makes high integrity a way of life in carrying out the duties of a law enforcer.
To support the digitalisation initiative in government services and the absorptions of new norms, he said the Immigration Department has developed several systems, such as an online appointment system (STO) and online enquiry system (SPO).
The department was always keeping up with the technology to ensure its delivery could be improved and operational costs reduced Khairul Dzaimee added.
- Bernama
