Malaysia Update - PEKAN: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said today he was prepared to entertain a request to meet Customs union representatives over the issues faced by the department.
“It would not be a problem. I can meet them at the appropriate time,” he told reporters when asked about a reported request by Customs unions and an association to meet him.
Peninsular Malaysia Customs Officers Union president Ibrahim Ahmad, in making the request yesterday, said the morale and credibility of Customs officers and staff had been tarnished by media reports on corruption and money-laundering to the tune of RM108 billion involving Customs officers.
Asked about that, Najib said there would be no problems if all Customs officers adhered to regulations.
“There will be no problems if we adhere to regulations (in the course of our work). In the case of import of products, for example, there will be no problem if we declare the products at the right price.
“Problems crop up if we do not want to declare or under-declare. If we adhere to regulations, there should not be any problem,” he said.
Ibrahim told reporters yesterday it was hoped that Najib, as the prime minister and finance minister, would give some advice to clear the tarnished image of the department and its staff affected by media reports on the matter.
He said that press reports claiming corruption and money-laundering involving Customs officers amounting to RM108 billion were illogical because the department had generated revenue of only RM28.3 billion last year.
- Bernama
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