Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has proposed that ASEAN countries provide a uniform screening system at all entry points as exercised by countries in the European Union to curb infiltration of transnational criminals, terrorists and illegal immigrants.
He said every ASEAN state should have an advanced passenger screening system, biometric identification system and facial recognition scanner in line with the formation of the ASEAN Community this month.
“ASEAN member states should have border security screening with synchronised documentation and use a uniform system,” he told Malaysian reporters here Wednesday on the final day of his three-day visit to Italy.
Ahmad Zahid said that during the visit, he had observed that with the uniform system, Italy, an EU member, managed to overcome the problem of an influx of refugees from northern Africa and eastern Europe, some of whom posed the threat of transnational crime and terrorism.
He said he had a fruitful meeting with his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano, the Italian Police Chief Alessandro Pansa and chief of the Department of Civil Liberties and Immigration Mario Morcone.
He said the Italian border security system could possibly be adopted in ASEAN and that at present only Malaysia and Singapore had such an advanced screening system.
“The implementation of the system may take some time to be realised after the ASEAN Community has been formed,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the home minister, said the Malaysian Cabinet had requested him to provide a green lane for ASEAN citizens at entry points to facilitate their entry into the country.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.(Mohd Razman Abdullah)
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