IPOH, March 19 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin today said that the Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) will be under the responsibility of the police department.

He said Aksem would now be under the direct command of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador.

"This was agreed in the Cabinet yesterday,” he told a press conference after attending the Ministry’s Malaysia Prihatin programme at the State Secretariat Building here.

Hamzah said the Ministry had discussed the matter with the police and received their consent before tabling it in Cabinet.

Hamzah said previously the personnel in Aksem were picked from various relevant enforcement agencies and at times the command failed to reach the bottom.

"Therefore, with Aksem now being under the police department, they will strategise and reorganise the agency accordingly,” he said.

For border areas that can’t be guarded via the technology, Hamzah said the police will deploy the general operation force.

"Entry points at the border areas, including Sabah and Sarawak will also be identified and minimised.

"So if anyone entered through unverified entry points it will be considered trespassing,” he said.