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Loke: No more free pass, no more abuses at airport VIP lanes

KUALA LUMPUR: Control will be tightened at VIP lanes in airports nationwide to prevent VIPs and politicians from abusing their privilege and smuggling items into the country, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

“We are aware there are weakness in the present system and there are no customs or immigration personnel at the VIP lanes.

“We will tighten control at the VIP lanes and place personnel there to conduct checks.

“There will be no exceptions, and I hope VIPs and MPs give their cooperation and not complain when they are checked,” Loke said when replying to a supplementary question by Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 17).

Pang had asked what was being done to curb instances of VIPs abusing the special lanes to smuggle money into the country.

He was referring to a recent report claiming that an agency related to the former Prime Minister’s Department had brought in RM49mil through VIP lanes.

Last month, Datuk Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim, the former head of Immigration operations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), confirmed that it was a common practice among VIPs and senior officials, who travelled on private jets, to smuggle cash into the country.

Any civilian bringing in more than RM41,000 must declare to the Customs Department and obtain permission from Bank Negara to bring in the cash.

However, leaders and VIPs can skip these steps entirely.

 

Source: The Star