Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin speaks during his 2022 New Year mandate speech at the ministry’s headquarters in Putrajaya. -NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAH
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin speaks during his 2022 New Year mandate speech at the ministry’s headquarters in Putrajaya. -NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAH

PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry will be introducing the e-Locker system to efficiently manage the entry of foreigners into the country.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the initiative is one the ministry's focuses this year and would optimally utilise Big Data in managing the entry of foreigners.

"The system will be used not only in the Peninsular but also in Sabah and Sarawak. This is being done to successfully manage foreigners in our country.

"When they arrive in Malaysia, we will know their whereabouts. The e-Locker system will ensure that (information on) visas, all documents, everything they do in this country is readily available," he said when delivering his 2022 New Year mandate speech at the ministry's headquarters, here today.

The e-Locker system, said Hamzah, has already been introduced in India and the United Arab Emirates.

He said it will benefit the government, countries of origin, employers and foreign workers as it involves foreign workers' documentation such as passports, employment contracts, visas and work passes, which can be accessed digitally.

There are also plans to restructure the ministry's division and departments to empower the agencies involved.

Among the agencies involved in restructuring this year are the police, Immigration Department, National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) and Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).

"The Finance Ministry has approved an allocation of RM13 million to the police's Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) to address problems we faced before, namely sexual crimes involving women and children," he said.

Hamzah said at the same time, the ministry will also review several policies including certain legislature and standard operating procedures (SOP) this year.

He said the policy reviews are to ensure that relevant issues would be addressed efficiently and systematically.

"We also want to strengthen public safety. We will look back at all existing laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, Prisons Act 1995, Private Agency Act 1971, and Al-Quran Text Publishing Act 1986.

"Based on this, we have to review and ensure these acts will be amended accordingly if it needs certain amendments," he said.