PETALING JAYA: The firms which employed seven suspected Abu Sayyaf militants as security guards have been identified but their level of involvement is still under investigation, says Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim (pic).
The Home Ministry secretary-general said their licences could be revoked, among other possible actions, if investigations uncovered they were complacent in vetting their future employees.
“The ministry has set strict processes in the hiring of security guards by security companies based on the law.
“One of this the compulsory verification of MyKads of those applying to be security guards. This can be done through biometric verification at the National Registration Department,” he said in a statement on Friday.
He was commenting on the arrests of suspected Abu Sayyaf militants on Sept 14, who were working as security guards in the Klang Valley.
The Ministry also requires all security companies to conduct thorough background checks on its security guards.
“We are warning all security companies to comply with existing regulations and guidelines involved in hiring security guards,” he said.
Alwi said the ministry said this was the first case involving security guards and they viewed the matter seriously.
“We discovered that the suspects used forged identification documents to apply for jobs as security guards,” he said.
It was reported the seven suspects, aged between 22 and 38, were detained in Kuala Lumpur by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division on Sept 14.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun had said that it was a follow-up operation after police detained the Abu Sayyaf operatives who were planning attacks on the National Day celebration and SEA Games’ closing ceremony.
One of the suspects, a 22-year-old man, was involved in clashes with Philippines security forces and was also among the group which carried out kidnappings, Mohamad Fuzi added.
“The suspects entered Malaysia through Sandakan before heading to Kuala Lumpur in September 2015.
They used forged identification documents,” he said.