KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — A total of 48 veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) have been selected as the first group of the Malaysia Border Guard (MBG) under the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS).
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the number is from 1,400 applicants to join the MBG.
“The recruitment is part of the target of 220 recruits through the allocation of RM8 million approved in the Budget 2026.
“This first group has undergone psychometric screening, physical tests and interviews, and has met the established standards. Of this number, 31 individuals will be stationed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with 14 in Port Klang and three in the AKPS headquarters,” he said at a press conference after launching MBG today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when presenting the 2026 Budget on October 10 last year, said that priority would be given to MAF veterans to fill AKPS’ manpower needs for the full readiness of the agency.
Saifuddin Nasution said the remaining MBG recruitment will be conducted within eight months to complete the quota of 220 members this year, and MBG members will operate according to AKPS assignments with an initial one-year contract.
AKPS, which currently has around 6,800 members, requires up to 13,000 members to meet operational needs, including controlling 122 official national entry points.
Meanwhile, he said the proposal for the use of weapons by MBG members is being refined at the ministry level following the risk of deployment at the border areas.
He added that the investigation into the incident in Bukit Kayu Hitam is still ongoing.
In the incident at 5.40am on February 25, a Proton X70 vehicle driven by Bukit Kayu Hitam AKPS Commander SAC Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir was shot at twice at the exit route of the Al Muhajirin Mosque in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, but the victim was unharmed.
In the meantime, AKPS director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the selection of MAF veterans as MBG members was based on their extensive experience in the field of defence, which can strengthen the country’s border control.
He said this allows them to adapt to new roles in border enforcement, particularly at strategic locations such as international airports and ports.
“MAF veterans possess discipline, skills, and extensive experience in the field of defence and security, thus making them important assets in strengthening the front line of the country’s border control,” he said while speaking at the launch event of the MBG.
Mohd Shuhaily added that the integrity and quality aspects were also given priority in the recruitment of new AKPS members. — Bernama