Saifuddin: No disruption to MCBA operations amid director-general's legal case

LUMUT: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) continues to carry out its duties without any disruptions, despite the ongoing legal proceedings involving its director-general. He emphasized that issues surrounding the agency's top leadership should not be allowed to halt its operations or impact its responsibilities.

Saifuddin instructed Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman to pay special attention to the situation, emphasizing that MCBA's role in border control and protection is crucial and should not be jeopardized due to a single issue involving its director-general.

The minister expressed gratitude, stating that ground reports indicate the agency's operations have remained uninterrupted. Notably, officers successfully thwarted several attempts, including a recent case where a couple attempted to carry a large sum of cash into Singapore. Addressing a question about the appointment of a new director-general, Saifuddin stated that the process had not yet reached that point, urging to resolve matters one at a time.

He reassured that if the issue involves court proceedings, the legal process will be allowed to unfold.

On October 29, Saifuddin announced the return of Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain to the police force, although his lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, argued that his client remains the director-general until he receives an official directive. Shuhaily was appointed as MCBA's director-general for a two-year term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. He was charged with two counts of causing hurt to police personnel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on September 28, 2026, and pleaded not guilty.