Ministry of Home Affairs (Malaysia)

Ministry of Home Affairs
Kementerian Dalam Negeri

The Federal Government of Malaysia
Logo of the Ministry of Home Affairs
Minister	Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Deputy Minister	Abu Seman Yusop Lee Chee Leong
Secretary General	Mahmood Adam
Established date	1 February 1948
Key agencies	Royal Malaysian Police Malaysian Prison Department Malaysian Civil Defence Department Malaysian Immigration Department
Location	Putrajaya
Website	http://www.moha.gov.my

Ministry of Home Affairs in Malaysia (Malay: Kementerian Dalam Negeri) is a Malaysian government ministry in charge of domestic affairs such as public safety, civil defence and immigration.

Establishment History

British colony

As of the forming of the Federation of Malaya on 1 February 1948 until March 1951, the administration of Malaysia on the Federal or Central Government was administered by three English High Officers with the title Chief Secretary, Attorney General and Financial Secretary.

In March 1951, the administration of the colonial British in the Federation of Malaya had made an important historical change by having a new Member System.

At that moment, it was the beginning of a new portfolio or department of Home Affairs and now being known as the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. Until now, the ministry has gone through its own historical name changes from the Department of Home Affairs, Ministry of the Interior and Justice, Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Internal Security, Ministry of Home Affairs and now as Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

As of its formation, the Department of Home Affairs was responsible for nine government offices and agencies which were the Broadcasting Office, Cooperative Development, Film Unit, Immigration, Information Office, Pilgrimage Office, registration Office, Welfare of Aborigines Office, Rural and Industrial Development Authority- RISDA. The first member of the Department of Home Affairs was Dato’ Onn bin Jaafar (former Chief Minister of Johor and first Yang Di-pertuan Agong of United Malays National Organisation / UMNO).

After the first Federal Election on 27 July 1955 and the winning of the Alliance Party (coalition of UMNO, MCA and MIC), Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra was elected as the Chief Minister of Federation of Malaya as well as the Minister of Home Affairs on 9 August 1955. At the same time, the 'Member System' of administration was dissolved and replaced by the 'Ministry System'. With this change, the Department of Home Affairs had become the Ministry of the Interior and Justice.

Since as of the moment, the Minister of Interior and Justice was also the Chief Minister, therefore a Junior Minister was appointed to manage the Ministry of Interior and Justice. Encik Bahaman bin Shamsudin was appointed as the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Interior and Justice on 9 August 1955.

Independence

When the Federation of Malaya achieved its independence on the 31 August 1957, YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman was appointed as the first Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Justice as well as Minister for Internal Defense and Security. At that time, the Ministry of Interior and Justice was responsible for nine departments which were, Department of Broadcast, Department of Public Defense, Department of Immigration, Department of Information, Department of Pilgrimage, Department of Prints, Department of Prison, Department of Registration and Department of Statistics as well as the Economic Committee. On July 1958, the Ministry of Interior and Justice was revamped and renamed Ministry of the Interior and Justice. Dato Suleiman bin Dato’ Abdul Rahman was appointed as the Minister of Interior and Justice on September 1957.

Ministry devolution

On August 1959, the Ministry of Interior and Justice was separated into two separate Ministries which were, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice. Departments under the responsibility of Ministry of Interior were, Department of Aborigines, Department of Chemicals, Department of Fire Brigade, department of Local Government, Department of Government Printing, Department of Prison, Department of Town and Country Planning. The Ministry of Justice was responsible for Judiciary, the Attorney General as well as Public Trustee and Custodian of Enemy Property.

At the end of 1959, another Ministry was formed and named Ministry of Internal Security, which was responsible for the Federation of Malaya Royal Police Force and Directorate of Border Security. In September 1959, Dato’ Suleiman bin Dato’ Abdul Rahman was appointed as the Minister of Internal Security and Y.B. Tun Leong Yew Koh as the Minister of Justice.

On 1 August 1962, there was a reshuffle of the Cabinet, where Dato’ Dr. Ismail bin Dato’ Abdul Rahman was appointed as the Minister of Interior Security and Minister of Home Affairs. In 1965, the Ministry of Internal Security was abolished and grafted into the Ministry of Interior which later was renamed as Ministry of Home Affairs.

On 1 June 1967, Tun Dr. Ismail bin Dato’ Abdul Rahman resigned from his post and was replaced by Tun Abdul Razak bin Dato’ Hussein as Minister of Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Rural and Regional Development and Minister of Defence.

Following the bloody event of 13 May 1969, a state of Emergency was announced and National Operations Council was formed to administer the country with Tun Abdul Razak as its Director. On the 20 May 1969, Tun Dr. Ismail returned as a member of the Cabinet and was appointed as Miniser of Home Affairs. Later on the 23 September 1970, Tun Abdul Razak formed his own Cabinet with 18 Ministers and 7 Junior Ministers or Deputy Minister. Tun Dr. Ismail was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Home Affairs.

On 13 August 1973, Tan Sri Muhammad Ghazali bin Shafie was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs replacing Y.A.B. Tun Dr. Ismail who passed away on 2 August 1973, whereas Datuk Abdul Samad bin Idris was appointed as Deputy Minister.

In 1977, the Ministry of Home Affairs was responsible for 6 departments, which were Royal Malaysian Police, Immigration, Registry of Societies, Registry Department, Malaysian Prison Department and Department of Aborigines. The Ministry of Home Affairs were also responsible for the Psychological war and the Voluntary Home Guard which later was renamed as RELA.

In 1979, another department was placed under the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs which was the Central Narcotics Bureau which was formerly placed under the Judiciary Ministry. In 1980,a Committee was formed to aid the administration of the Central Narcotics Bureau and that Committee became several divisions in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Committee was later known as the Committee of Drugs which was the Committee for the Executive Action Unit.

The latest development in the Ministry of Home Affairs happened in 1981, which was the forming of another division named the Rehabilitation Division and Psychological Movement. After Tan Sri Muhamad Ghazali bin Shafie, Tun Musa Hitam was appointed as the Interior Minister starting from 17 July 1981 until 16 March 1986, where he was also Deputy Prime Minister at that time. Later, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who was also the 4th Prime Minister took over the portfolio of the Interior Minister starting from 17 March 1986 until 10 January 1999.

Ministry restructure

Starting from 14 January 1999, Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi headed the Ministry of Home Affairs until 27 March 2004. on the same date, the Ministry of Home Affairs was split into the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Interior Security Dato' Azmi Khalid was heading the Ministry of Home Affairs starting from 27 March 2004 until 13 February 2006.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is one of the important Ministries which is responsible to ensure policies, laws and regulations concerning citizenship and the country’s registry abide with the current need of the nation.

Because of the tasks and responsibility are heavy, therefore the Ministry of Home Affairs is always striving to improve the quality of service for the society and nation in line with the policy of 'People Friendly Service' and continue to make this an exemplary Ministry as well as being Excellent, Glorious and Renowned.

Merger

On 14 February 2006, a reshuffle of the Cabinet was announced by then Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, where there was a change and Dato’ Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad was the head of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security was formed on 18 March 2008 following another cabinet reshuffle after the 12th General Election. It is the merging of two ministries, which are the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Internal Security. Actually these two ministries were once separated on 27 March 2004.

Because of this merger, there are several changes to the structure of organisation and tasks allocation as well as posts. Now the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security is headed by a Minister and two Deputy Ministers. As of administration, the Ministry is administered by a Secretary General helped by three Deputy Secretary General and 25 Divisions. Each Deputy Secretary General heads a sector made up of several divisions which in turn is headed by a Division Secretary. Apart from that there are eight departments and agencies as well as a Government Company under the Ministry and is answerable to the Secretary General; which are the Royal Malaysian Police Force, Malaysia Department of Immigration, Registration Department, Prison Department, National Anti-drugs Agency, Registry of Societies, Department of Civil Defence and Print Nasional Malaysia Berhad.

Vision

Excellent lead in management immigration field, population, citizenship and organisation registration world-standard for peace and well being of the country.

Mission

Legislate policy and develop quality and latest service delivery management system together with country progresses.

Objective

Contributed to government effort continuously and efficient affairs in planning and management immigration, registration, citizenship, organisation, suitable control of film and security with technological change, growth socio- economy and needs of the nation.

1. Ensuring state security and public safety is always maintained through the effective enforcement of laws and the efficiency of the implementation of policies for programmes which are oriented by the core services of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. The measurement or evaluation is based on the index of crime, misuse of drugs, publishing, films, organisations, citizenship, foreign workers and illegal immigrants.
2. Ensuring the citizens are involved in awareness and prevention programmes and increase the level of knowledge, awareness and involvement of the public about the importance of national security and public wellbeing.
3. Increasing the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation programmes for drug addictions and misdemeanors against the laws. Prevention actions should also be implemented to ensure whatever adverse intentions, enemy threats and chaos could be contained.
4. Providing an efficient and effective quality service provider system for customers which involve important matters like registration of self identity, passport, registration of organisations, publishing, printing machine, private agencies, fire arms, films and Al-Quran texts.
5. Forging strategic cooperation and smart sharing with other government agencies and Non-government agencies as well as relevant International Bodies to ensure public security and wellbeing.
6. Reinforce internal relationship and collaboration with other departments/agencies and Divisions under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.
7. Reinforce the mechanism of administration, financial management system, development of human resource, usage of ICT, revenue and development of infrastructure for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security efforts to be parallel with the technology advancement, socioeconomic and current state needs as well as achieving the goals of the 7th Strategic Plan for the year of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security (2009–2015).

Function

• Study, update and legislate policy, law and rule and work system in KHEDN and departments in its so that consistent with requirement and current progress;
• Policy and immigration laws and foreign worker implemented clearly and transparent;
• Populating of country record secure, latest and systematic;
• Policy and law related complied;
• Make RELA service as ideal team and sound;
• Ensure film does not contain negative elements which could affect stability, unity and national interest; and
• Increase KDN human resource's competency.

Motto

"Committed, Strict And Friendly"

General Division

C's Part

• Film Censorship Board

Film Censorship Act 2002 (Act 620)

J's Part

• Relawan's Bond Malaysians

Emergency Act 1964 (Powers Must) – (RELA Corps Laws Malaysians 1974)

B's Part

• Malaysia Immigration Department

Immigration Act 1959/63

Passport Act 1966

• Malaysian Registrar Of Societies Department

Organization Act 1966

Organization Laws 1984

Organization Act To Martial Arts 1977 (Never In Force)

• National Registration Department (NRD)

Federal Constitution

Nation Registration Act 1959

Nation Registration Laws 1990 / Amendment 2001

Citizenship Methods ::Birth Registration And Death Act 1957

Adopted Child Registration Act 1952

Adopted Child Act 1952

Act Renew Law (Marriage And Divorce) 1976

External links

• Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia website

Malaysia portal