KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 18 -- Addressing public frustration over why corrupt border officers are often seen back on duty after being arrested, the head of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) has delivered a blunt reality check: firing them is "neither simple nor can it be carried out arbitrarily" due to strict constitutional protections for civil servants.

AKPS director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain acknowledged that while arrests have been made, the complex legal process can create the perception that no serious action is being taken, the New Straits Times reported.

He explained that any disciplinary action, including dismissal, is subject to Articles 132 to 135 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantee...