MALAYSIA CUSTOMS TO TIGHTEN AIRPORT SECURITY

SEBERANG JAYA (Penang, Malaysia), Sept 27 (Bernama) -- The Customs
Department says it will tighten the airport security system after reviewing passenger entry and exit procedures to prevent prohibited goods from being smuggled into the country.

Its director-general Mohamed Khalid Yusuf said on Tuesday discussions were being held with other enforcement agencies such as the Immigration Department and Malaysia Airports Berhad to improve passenger clearance procedures at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Sepang.

"Following strict enforcement, Customs so far this year have seized
prohibited goods worth RM331.43 million (US$1 = RM3.148) with unpaid duties of RM236.91 million and we believe this year's seizure will be higher or match last year's figure of RM507 million.

"For example, drug seizures so far this year have increased sharply to RM103.51 million against RM44 million for the whole of last year," he told reporters after chairing a meeting with state Customs directors at the Penang Customs Complex here on Tuesday.

Mohamed Khalid said the department was studying how smugglers managed to avoid their baggage and luggage from being checked on arrival following the arrest of an African man for attempting to smuggle drugs hidden in 300 sticks of lip gloss recently.

"We are drawing a new layout and redesigning the system and a simulation, will be carried out to check whether it will be more effective in screening and clearing passengers while avoiding congestion and delaying travellers," he said.

He gave an assurance that the measures would not inconvenience foreign tourists and the screening would be carried out efficiently and quickly.

As screening every passenger at the KLIA and LCCT will be time-consuming, he said measures have been taken to get initial information on high-risk passengers at embarkation points followed by scanning on arrivals and observations by undercover officers.

"The suspects identified will be subjected to a 100 per cent inspection where they and their baggage will be X-rayed," he added.

Mohamed Khalid said the Customs Department has collected RM21.8 billion in taxes so far this year compared with RM20.4 billion in the corresponding period last year and the revenue this year is expected to increase to RM30 billion.

-- BERNAMA