No mercy for Army personnel linked to human trafficking

LUNDU, 21 June 2020:

The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) will take stern action and not compromise with any of its officer or personnel involved in human trafficking.

Defence Force Chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang said the police were investigating and identifying those who might be involved.

“Those who have been detained by the police, we leave it to the police to take the necessary action. Those who are still at large, we (ATM) will track them down,” he told a media conference after a working visit to a security post between ATM and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) at Kem Jawatankuasa Perancangan Gerakan (JPG) Biawak here.

He said this in response to a statement by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador on the involvement of police and ATM officers with syndicates involved in the smuggling of illegal immigrants into the country.

He said as many as 49 new rat routes have been identified in Sarawak that are used by illegal immigrants to enter and exit the country.

Affendi said the town of Biawak is one of the areas in the state which has many hotspots that need to be controlled to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants, curb cross-border crimes and to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“‘Ops Benteng’ involves the integrated cooperation of all the enforcement and security agencies in thwarting the entry of illegal immigrants, whether by land or sea.

“This operation will be continued so that the rat lanes can be closed and monitored tightly, and control will be enhanced at hotspots.”

Affandi said the ATM, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and other enforcement and security agencies will remain committed in implementing ‘Ops Benteng’ through integrated coordination and will ensure the country’s borders (both land and sea) are not compromised.

‘Ops Benteng’ has been active since May under the National Task Force (NTF) in collaboration with the ATM, PDRM, MMEA, the Health Ministry, Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Immigration Department and Malaysian Volunteer Corps Department.

Since the NTF was activated in Sarawak, 962 illegal migrants and 160 tekong have been arrested for illegally entering the Malaysian border, while 33 individuals have been detained on suspicion of smuggling goods which were seized worth RM1.57 million.

– Bernama