KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — An immigration officer caught on video slapping a customer has been suspended from work, the Immigration Department of Malaysia said today.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the department had "immediately” taken action on the immigration officer, whose rough actions were recorded in a video gone viral, by interdicting him.

"The actions of that officer clearly affected the department’s image and contravenes the code of ethics of the department and public service.

"The department will not compromise on officers that commit a breach of integrity that leads to the department’s reputation and image being disparaged, and will not protect those who commit such wrongdoings,” he said in a statement today.

"Serious action will be taken without compromise including the firing of officers who commit wrongdoing,” he also said, adding that the immigration department will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions based on the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) (Amendment) 2002 regulations.

Mustafar had used the phrase "tahan kerja” or interdiction to describe the action taken on the immigration officer in the video, which is similar to a suspension.

Whether or not a civil servant can receive any emolument would depend on whether he or she is suspended or interdicted, and also on other circumstances.

In the brief nine-second video, an officer manning the counter can be seen slapping a man’s face, before harshly pressing down the latter’s hands.