KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has been lauded for its efforts in enhancing efficiency and integrity through the digitalisation of customs processes, particularly with the implementation of the Import Export Support Document System (SDSIE).
Industry expert Gary Foong, a former officer with Singapore’s Customs & Excise Department, commended Customs’ transition to SDSIE in Port Klang, noting that it aligns with global best practices in customs modernisation.
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Drawing from his experience with Singapore’s TradeNet system in the 1990s, Foong highlighted the transformative impact of digitalisation on customs operations, reducing manual interventions while improving compliance, efficiency, and governance.
While acknowledging that implementing a complex system presents challenges, he stressed that continuous refinement and feedback-driven improvements are key to long-term success.
Foong noted that SDSIE has enhanced integrity within Customs by minimising direct interactions between Customs officers and forwarding agents, reducing opportunities for corruption.
“The transition from a manual system to SDSIE has streamlined import and export processes, ensuring greater transparency in declarations and compliance with regulations,” he said in a statement made available to Bernama.