PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed dismay over the case of 34 Customs Department officers being involved in a smuggling syndicate.
He said corruption at that scale, even when it involves a small department from the Customs Department, contributes to a loss of about RM2 billion to the country.
Anwar added that he was briefed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that no senior civil servants or leaders have been involved in cases of corruption or abuse of power so far.
"Based on the information by the MACC, the leadership and senior leadership of civil servants are still spared from the problem of corruption and misuse of power.
"But there are still some other issues which for me is very saddening, including news of the Customs Department being involved in corruption," he said at the Prime Minister's monthly assembly, here, today.
Last week, MACC detained 34 customs officers suspected of being involved in the illegal smuggling of contraband items, resulting in up to RM2 billion in losses for the country in two years.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the illegal smuggling of chewing tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, health products, and vehicle spare parts was conducted through the Import/Export Branch at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Cargo, Sepang.
Azam said the officers involved allegedly received bribes in exchange for allowing
cargo to pass through without checks or declaration.