PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, the Customs director-general, has been praised for her bravery in taking action against her subordinates who were allegedly involved in bribery with a smuggling syndicate, resulting in billions of losses to the country’s revenue.
During the Finance Ministry’s monthly gathering on Tuesday (April 2), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim commended Anis for promptly removing the staff from their positions at KLIA Cargo and initiating disciplinary measures against them.
Anwar emphasized the importance of department heads like Anis taking decisive action against wrongdoings rather than attempting to cover them up. He expressed his confidence in the majority of civil servants who exhibit integrity and stated that the actions of a few individuals should not tarnish the reputation of the entire civil service.
The Prime Minister stressed the necessity for leaders to address and rectify any misconduct within their departments and agencies instead of ignoring or concealing them. He warned that without intervention, such wrongdoings would persist.
Last week, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) apprehended 34 Customs officers from KLIA Cargo in connection with smuggling activities that allegedly led to a revenue loss of RM2 billion over a two-year period.
These individuals were detained in a special operation named Ops Samba 2.0, jointly conducted by the MACC, Inland Revenue Board, and Bank Negara. Investigators suspect that the officers received RM4.7 million from the syndicate to facilitate the smuggling of various goods, including tobacco, cigarettes, liquor, health products, and vehicle spare parts.
