Datuk Dr. Yusoff Nook, former Sarawak State Police Chief, today lauded the Royal Malaysian Customs Department's (JKDM) approach to enhancing enforcement internally and externally. He suggested that other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) could adopt a similar strategy to combat the rising tide of commercial crime in Malaysia.

This comment from Datuk Dr Yusoff came following the announcement by JKDM Director General Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, who had just completed one year of service, that the department has collected a record RM41.68 billion in revenue as of 31 August 2024 (about RM5 billion increased compared to same period last year). Datuk Dr. Yusoff commended the department’s success. “This significant achievement reflects the positive impact of JKDM’s inward reforms and external enforcement efforts,” he stated.

“The JKDM's effort to enhance internal efficiencies while intensifying external enforcement serve as a valuable model for all LEAs, especially in the face of increasingly sophisticated commercial crime schemes, including online scams,” Datuk Dr. Yusoff commended. 

Recently, Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, Director of Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), reported that Malaysia has lost RM1.5 billion to commercial crimes between January 1 and August 11, 2024. Over 18,205 cases of commercial crime were investigated, with 10,848 successfully prosecuted.

“JKDM has demonstrated how a combination of internal reforms and strengthened enforcement operations can lead to tangible results. This is particularly relevant as commercial crime, especially in an era of advanced technology, continues to pose a severe challenge to law enforcement,” Datuk Dr. Yusoff said.

Datuk Dr. Yusoff applauded Director General Dato Anis Rizana's leadership in steering JKDM to a new height by revamping JKDM’s internal processes, including removing underperforming personnel, collaborating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to root out corruption, and implementing stronger internal policies. This has resulted in record enforcement actions against revenue leakages, notably the seizures of 15 containers containing 150 million illegal cigarettes, 30 tonnes of illegal tobacco, and 32 tonnes of plastic waste collectively valued at RM118 million. Datuk Dr. Yusoff remarked that this milestone underscores how effective enforcement actions complemented by internal reforms could achieve far-reaching successes. 

He advocated that other LEAs should replicate this inward-outward strategy. “Improving personnel efficiency, removing ‘bad apples,’ and empowering honest and capable officers are essential steps to elevating law enforcement agencies' capabilities in fighting commercial crime.”

Looking ahead to Budget 2025, Datuk Dr. Yusoff called on the Government to allocate resources to support law enforcement agencies in training, rewarding performance, better protecting whistleblowers, and enhancing cross-agency collaboration. These initiatives, he noted, are essential in building a robust enforcement infrastructure that can keep pace with the evolving landscape of commercial crime.

“As Malaysia continues to grow and integrate into the global economy, our enforcement agencies must be equipped to safeguard the public from the far-reaching impacts of economic and commercial crimes,” Datuk Dr. Yusoff concluded.

#MalaysianBusiness #JKDM #CommercialCrime #Enforcement #InternalReforms #ExternalEnforcement #LawEnforcementAgencies #LEAs #Revenue #Seizures #Corruption #Whistleblowers #Budget2025 #EconomicCrime

Twitter