SEPANG: The Customs Department is hoping for a larger allocation in the 2025 Budget to procure artificial intelligence technology to boost its efficiency.
Its director-general, Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, said the department hoped to use AI to compensate for the reduction in staff as many would be absorbed into the Malaysian Checkpoints and Border Agency (MCBA).
"As of now, we have 14,800 personnel but based on the government's decision a total of 5,117 personnel will be absorbed by the MCBA (in the initial stages). That is effectively over a third of our entire manpower.
"That is why we are looking at introducing more AI-based assets to compensate for the reduced human capital," she told reporters.
She said, in total, over 6,000 Customs Department personnel would be absorbed by MCBA.
"The first phase involves 5,117 personnel while the second phase would involved over 1,000 more," she said.
Earlier today, the Dewan Rakyat was told that MCBA will take over five of the country's entry points beginning Feb 1 next year.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said MCBA would commence its operations in phases, with Phase One starting on Jan 1 with the takeover of the Rantau Panjang entry point.
On Feb 1, he said, MCBA would take over another four entry points, including both the Kuala Lumpur International Airport terminals, the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) complexes at the Sultan Iskandar Building, Johor Baru Sentral, Tanjung Pelepas Port, and Bukit Kayu Hitam.
Anis Rizana said her department also hoped for the government's consideration on allocations for procurement of other assets and the maintenance and upgrade work for living quarters.
She said the department required more marine patrol boats as the current ones are either undergoing maintenance or are being disposed of.
"We have also expressed our hope to expand the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) for all our frontline personnel."
The BWC pilot programme for the department's officers was launched in August last year and Anis Rizana had recently revealed that there was a 38.46 per cent drop in integrity cases since then.