HI-TECH EQUIPMENT & LATEST GADGETS FOR MALAYSIA ROYAL CUSTOMS

-REALISING THE GOVERNMENT'S LIMITED BUDGET TO EMPLOY MORE MRCD PERSONNELS, MRCD OPTED TO EQUIP OURSELVES WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT TO FILL THE GAP CAUSED BY THE LACK OF MANPOWER-

MOHAMED

The Malaysia Royal Customs Department (MRCD) had “slightly improvised” their approach to overcome the limited manpower problem currently faced by MRCD by equipping themselves with all the latest technologies and up-to-date equipment in their effort to curb any smuggling activities in this country.

MRCD Director General Dato’ Sri Haji Mohamed Khalid Yusuf said adding MRCD had no other option but to equip their department with the latest technologies and equipment to par with the “various and unlimited new smuggling tactics” currently used by criminals which seemingly had “evolved” into a greater level than before.

“We (MRCD) understand the Government had limited allocation, particularly to employ more people for our department and our approach (of equipping the departments’ with the latest tools and equipment) is also seen as the best solution and “perfectly timed”,” he said.

Mohamed disclosed that among the equipment currently used by MRCD are heavy duty scanning and x-ray equipment particularly set-up at the airport, ports and international entrances into this country which holds high potential to use as smuggling route.

He disclosed this latest development to reporters during a press conference after officiating the two-day 68^th National MRCD Director Meeting which was held at the Pullman Hotel near the city here yesterday morning.

Revealing that MRCD’s main concern now on the rampant drug-smuggling activities by organised international syndicates with so many suspects being arrested, Mohamed said that with their latest equipment and technology, the chances of the smugglers penetrating this country is very low.

“The tactics used by these drug-smugglers had also “evolved” from time to time as in 2009, citizens from the Middle Asia countries are being used as drug mules before switching drug mules from Iran, Pakistan and India in 2020 and finally using Malaysian themselves (mostly the woman-folks) as their drug mules last year.”

“MRCD had also successfully collected of RM8,059,211,047 as at 31^st March 2012 and if compared with RM7,692,417,554.15 in the same period last year with a significant increase of RM366,93,493.59 or 4.77 per cent.”

“The increase was attributed by the collection of excise duty (local) of RM1.870 billion, followed by a service tax of RM1.557 billion and Sales Tax (local) of RM1.460 billion. At the same, the collection on motor vehicles’ duty/tax manufactured in this country was RM2.731 billion, Cigarettes (RM911 million), Liquor of (RM338 million), Crude Petroleum (RM551 million) Telecommunication (RM321 million), Rural Hotel Restaurant (RM178 million), Consultancy Services (RM167 million), Insurance Policy (RM156 million) and Advertising (RM121 million).”

He also disclosed that Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur recorded the highest tax collection (RM2.983 billion), followed by Selangor (RM2.575 billion), Johor (RM410 million), Kedah (RM243 million) and Sarawak (RM241 million).

Mohamed than revealed that at the same time, MRCD had seized various smuggled contrabands worth RM114,227,937.13 (from 1,527 arrest) until March 28, 2012 and  10 of the cases involving the duty tax of RM73 million currently in court proceeding.”

A total of 34 cases were drug cases involving a value of RM42,722,612.50, 692 cigarette cases (RM8,787,703.96) involving RM50,025,616.33 duty, 68 vehicle cases (RM3,858,883.19) involving RM3,492,857.35 duty, 263 liquor cases (RM3,458,946.69) with RM8,181,568.53 duty, 101 Firecrackers/Fireworks cases (RM1,468,922.46) with RM937,002.44 tax and 49 Rice cases (RM241,676.80) with  RM92 609.92 tax, he said.

He then disclosed that Sarawak MRCD had also successfully foiled 246 smuggling attempt in 2012 with the RM1,488,112.47 worth of seized contrabands items (with o RM4,805,01.97 of tax) including the seizure 3,500 Eramin5 pills at Tebedu on 19th March recently this year.

On other related matter, Mohamed stressed out that MRCD would not compromised with any of their personnel who are found on the wrong side of the law as last year, a total 92 MRCD officers and staff were taken disciplinary action on the account for various offenses such as absence from duty, did not follow procedure and misusing of power/corruption.

“From out of the total, 72 had been subjected to disciplinary action such as dismissal, demotion, reduction of salary and job interdiction/suspension,” he said adding that only five of them ere MRCD officer while 87 were MRCD support personnel.

-UnReportedNews™®