AKPS will address its manpower shortage over five years, with recruitment prioritising high-risk entry points and locations with heavy traffic.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) continues to face manpower shortages as it assumes wider border control responsibilities, with the government planning to address the shortfall progressively over five years.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the agency was still undergoing organisational strengthening following the phased transfer of border control and enforcement responsibilities from several government agencies.
“As of Sept 23, 2026, AKPS had a total establishment of 8,403 positions, which is still considered insufficient for optimal operations at all 123 entry points nationwide,” he said.
Saifuddin said additional positions would be created and filled in stages, with recruitment and deployment prioritising high-risk entry points and locations handling heavy passenger and cargo traffic.
“The filling of AKPS positions will be carried out in phases over five years, depending on approvals for additional positions, recruitment processes and personnel deployment.
“Therefore, the manpower gap will be reduced progressively in line with AKPS’ human resource development plan,” he said in a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was responding to Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor (PN-Ketereh), who sought clarification on measures to address the agency’s manpower shortage and when the issue was expected to be resolved.
Saifuddin said measures being implemented included redistributing existing personnel based on risk assessments and operational requirements to ensure available resources were deployed efficiently without compromising border security.
He said AKPS would also continue to receive operational and enforcement support from its core agencies during the transition period through resource-sharing arrangements and coordinated operations.
Efforts to strengthen recruitment would include establishing clearer career pathways, transferring existing personnel to AKPS service schemes and making new contract appointments, including among Armed Forces veterans.
Cross-training and skills development programmes would also be conducted to enable personnel to perform various basic functions at entry points.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said AKPS would expand its use of technology, including automated inspection and scanning systems, autogates, smart closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, data analytics and risk profiling, to reduce its reliance on manpower.
AKPS is progressively assuming border control, inspection, clearance and enforcement responsibilities previously handled by the Immigration Department, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis), the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia, and the Road Transport Department.
Saifuddin said staffing improvements would be implemented in stages in accordance with the agency’s human resource development plan, subject to approval for additional positions and the completion of recruitment and deployment processes.