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Mohd Shuhaily says AKPS continues to rely on technology, including advanced scanning machines, to ease operational pressures and gaps in enforcement - December 17, 2025
Border agency seeks major manpower boost and overseas training to secure entry points
AKPS says it urgently needs a 50 per cent increase in personnel and stronger international training partnerships to safeguard the nation’s land, sea and air borders amid rising enforcement demands
THE Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) is calling for a substantial expansion of its workforce and deeper institutional strengthening to ensure the country’s gazetted entry points are not breached, as it prepares to assume a single-agency role in border enforcement.
Its Director General, Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, said the agency currently has 6,226 officers and personnel, but needs at least a 50 per cent increase in manpower to cope with operational demands on the ground and to counter cross-border threats on land, at sea and in the air.
Based on studies conducted by the AKPS Nucleus Team, he said the agency estimates it will ultimately require a total of 13,721 positions to effectively monitor and secure all gazetted national entry points.
“At present, AKPS has more than 6,000 personnel and from there we require more than 50 per cent additional strength to make this agency solid in ensuring that any elements of border intrusion, human smuggling, drug trafficking, firearms and contraband can be thwarted.
“This strengthening is our main agenda for 2026. Planning has already begun this year and we hope the government will help by giving priority to AKPS.
“If these positions do not exist, it is likely to be quite difficult for AKPS to realise the government’s aspirations, which certainly want border security and national entry points to be safe for Malaysians,” he said during a special media interview with Berita Harian yesterday.
Mohd Shuhaily said one of the agency’s key challenges lies in its current structure, as many of its officers are seconded from six core agencies: the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Immigration Department, the Road Transport Department, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the Ministry of Health and the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department.
He explained that these officers are still required to carry out their original duties while serving under AKPS.
“For everyone’s information, I must explain here that officers and personnel from these core agencies must still perform their original functions. For example, every Immigration Department officer placed under AKPS must still carry out their duties such as inspecting all individuals entering or leaving the country, and at the same time they also perform tasks for this agency.
“So, in conclusion, what they give us is the remaining 50 per cent of their work capacity, after the other 50 per cent is spent carrying out their core duties. That is the challenge, because in the future AKPS will act as a single enforcement agency where everything will be consolidated under AKPS. There will be no more Immigration Department, no more Customs Department or any other agency,” he said.
Despite the manpower shortfall, Mohd Shuhaily said AKPS continues to rely on technology, including advanced scanning machines, to ease operational pressures and mitigate gaps in enforcement capacity.
“Although we are short by 50 per cent in terms of manpower and services compared to what is needed, the duties entrusted to us must still be carried out. Efforts to recruit new personnel can only be made once the AKPS service scheme exists, and we hope the government will be able to realise this,” he told Berita Harian.
In parallel, the agency is also strengthening its intelligence capabilities by focusing on profiling individuals, companies and networks previously detected in smuggling, contraband and border intrusion activities.
Looking ahead, AKPS is drafting plans to send frontline officers for joint training with the Australian Border Force, ABF, in an effort to raise professionalism and integrity standards among Malaysia’s border enforcement personnel.
Mohd Shuhaily said the initiative aims to give officers direct exposure to international best practices in border control, noting that frontline personnel are often the least exposed to global standards.
“Many of our frontline officers, especially those from the six core agencies, rarely have the opportunity to see for themselves how highly respected agencies overseas operate.
“We want them to experience it themselves so that they feel prouder of their role and understand what world-class border enforcement looks like, and in turn emulate and practise it in their daily duties,” he said.
He described ABF as a suitable benchmark due to its firm and disciplined approach to border control.
“Visitors to Australia are very conscious about compliance as soon as they arrive, including ensuring their shoes are free from soil because the country enforces strict biosecurity laws.
“That level of awareness and respect exists without the need for constant reminders. If one day Malaysia can achieve the same level of respect from visitors, then I will have achieved what I set out to do,” he said.
Beyond enforcement, Mohd Shuhaily also stressed the importance of language proficiency among officers.
“English has now become a necessity, while proficiency in Mandarin and Arabic can also add value depending on operational needs.
“In the future, I want our frontline officers to also master other languages such as French,” he said.
He said multilingual capability would allow officers to engage more effectively with international travellers and elevate the agency’s service standards.
On institutional development, Mohd Shuhaily noted that agencies such as the ABF took nearly a decade to reach their current level of maturity and continue to face challenges related to inter-agency cooperation.
“We need time and support to develop this agency so that it becomes truly robust and fully operational,” he said.
He added that countries adopt different models for border management.
“In Australia and the United States, border control is more customs-based, while in Singapore it is led by immigration. I do not have a definitive answer as to which model is best.
“The establishment of a new agency is usually driven by the need to break away from legacy problems of the old system.
“The main challenge is preventing those old legacies from being carried into the new organisation, even though the people involved may still be the same,” he said.
Mohd Shuhaily acknowledged that the rationale for setting up a new border control agency is not always fully understood and remains complex, but said technology is expected to play a critical role in driving improvements in the years ahead. - December 17, 2025
