KUCHING: Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) Director (Enforcement Division), Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin said 172 cases nationwide involving the smuggling of goods to neighbouring countries, were handed over by enforcement agencies to the ministry’s enforcement division for further action last year with goods confiscated worth RM11.531 million.
According to him, up to Oct this year, 160 cases were handed over to its enforcement division involving goods confiscated valued at RM6.607 million.
Meanwhile, for Sarawak alone, he pointed out that a total of five cases were recorded up until Oct this year, which is decreasing compared to 15 cases in 2016.
According to Roslan, the decrease in the cases was due to the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) between agencies in the state.
He said agencies such as police, military, marine police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) normally handled areas at the national borders but they submitted relevant cases to KPDNKK as these were under the jurisdiction of the ministry.
“KPDNKK enforcement is insufficient if we are to be placed at border posts and if we are deployed there, who will monitor Kuching city for instance,?” he told reporters after presenting a briefing on legislation and Acts enforced by the KPDNKK enforcement division at Penrissen camp here yesterday.
However he said the ministry would depend on information and needs from time to time such as the current deployment of KPDNKK enforcement officers at the border post in Serikin, about 50 km from here, specifically for monitoring trading activities in the area concerned.
The briefing, organised by the Malaysian Infantry Third Brigade, was the third such session nationwide since the first meeting between the Armed Forces and KPDNKK in May, aimed at exposing military personnel on Acts and legal issues pertaining to consumerism, KPDNKK jusrisdiction and guidelines on cases that were handed over by other agencies.
Also present was Third Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Mohd Bustaman Mat Zin.
