KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 2): The country’s capacity to detect prohibited goods at its entry points needs to be enhanced through more sophisticated cargo-scanning technology, including systems capable of distinguishing between substances at the molecular level.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said technologies such as diffraction should be considered to improve inspection accuracy, particularly in distinguishing substances with similar physical appearances, such as drugs and milk powder.

He said investment in upgrading existing scanning systems should be given due attention in line with rapid technological advancements, while also taking into account the capabilities of other countries in detecting prohibited substances that might otherwise go undetected during inspections in Malaysia.

“For instance, what we fail to detect here may be detected in Australia. So why can they detect it there, while we cannot identify it here? Well, they have the machines.

“So why shouldn't we also upgrade our machines? That is something we need to do. We need to upgrade our systems,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (Barisan Nasional-Kuala Pilah) on the need to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI)-based scanning systems at cargo terminals are regularly updated and tested, as well as the role of inspection officers when scanning results contradict their assessments.

Hasbi said that based on his observations during visits to Malaysia Airlines cargo operations and at Port Klang, the use of AI technology in scanning systems still requires improvements, particularly in data collection to enhance detection accuracy.

He said some scanning machines at airports had each accumulated approximately 15,000 and 8,000 data records respectively to improve the efficiency of their AI systems. However, the technology was still unable to accurately identify certain objects.

In this regard, he said the experience and competency of inspection officers remain crucial in the inspection process, particularly when scanning systems detect anomalies or suspicious objects that require further scrutiny and physical examination.

Earlier, in reply to the original question from Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (independent-Kuala Kangsar) on the current capabilities of AI scanners at cargo terminals to detect the smuggling of dangerous goods, Hasbi said 132 of the 184 cargo and baggage scanning machines at the country’s main entry points are equipped with AI-based technology.

He said the assets and inspection functions of the Customs Department are being transferred in stages to the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) from Oct 1, 2025, in line with the implementation of the AKPS Act 2024 (Act 860).

He said the use of AI had the potential to enhance detection capabilities through image analysis and object identification, but its effectiveness depends on the type of technology, system configuration, data availability, algorithms, detection accuracy and the competency of security officers.

For more Parliament stories, click here.

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee