PETALING JAYA: Prohibiting frontline officers from using their mobile phones will not solve the issue of foreigners entering the country through “special counters”, say anti-corruption watchdogs.

“I believe a more effective way would be having CCTVs at the counters and remotely monitoring the actions and conversations between visitors and officers at the counters,” Transparency International Malaysia president Dr Muhammad Mohan said when contacted yesterday.

He said the Immigration Department should upgrade its system so that those coming into the country must apply and pre-submit their entry request online.

“This must also include a reliable channel for entry such as an autogate system to avoid any human contact. By removing human contact, there will be better control,” he added.

Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive officer Pushpan Murugiah agreed that banning the use of mobile phones may be futile..

“It is better that CCTVs are installed to monitor the activities at the frontline counters, along with holding frequent audits of officers,” he said when contacted.

But Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW) president Jais Abdul Karim agreed with the proposal to ban the use of mobile phones, saying that it would boost the efficiency and focus of frontline officers.

“It also aligns with MCW’s advocacy to prevent corruption by removing opportunities for officers to engage in unethical communication with external parties,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/19/cctvs-and-upgrading-system-a-better-idea-say-watchdogs