Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency Bill 2024 tabled in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: A Bill to establish a border control and protection agency, that will guard the country’s borders has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

The Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency Bill 2024 was tabled for the first reading by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Monday (July 8).

The proposed Bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the agency, its function and powers related to border control and protection and related matters.

The agency will look into the inspection and control of people; vehicles; goods, food, drugs, poison, cosmetics and other health items, entering and exiting the country.

It will also oversee the control and quarantine of plants, animals, carcasses, fish, agricultural produce, soils and microorganisms entering and exiting the country as well as the entry and exit of wildlife.

It also looks into the issuance of passes, permits and other documents related to the movement of people and goods in and out of the country.

The agency will also carry out surveillance and patrolling.

“Clause 7 seeks to provide that the officer of the Agency shall have all the powers which the competent authorities may exercise under the relevant written laws and to do all things reasonably necessary for or incidental to the performance of its functions under Clause 6,” the Bill read.

Clause 8 seeks to provide that any overlapping of functions between the Agency and the competent authorities at the prescribed area shall be dealt and resolved with administratively,” it added.

As per the proposed provisions, if an offence is committed under any written law of Sabah or Sarawak, the enforcement, investigation and prosecution will be carried out by the respective state authorities.

It was announced in the Budget 2024 in Oct last year, that the agency would be announced to strengthen national defences.