SEPANG, Feb 2- The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) will be expanded to several other air border crossings in order to strengthen the control of the country's main entry points.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the expansion would be implemented in phases after his ministry assessed the effectiveness of the agency's operations at the 19 entry points that have already been in operations.

"Out of the 141, we start with 19 entry points, the data we collect will be used to guide the next phase.

"So we set priorities in determining AKPS operations at the entry points of the country including in Sabah and Sarawak, all according to priority," he said.

He said this to reporters in a press conference after the launch of AKPS at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here.

Meanwhile, a total of 12,000 staff are expected to be involved in the operation of AKPS when the system is fully operational at the country's 141 entry points.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Penang International Airport (PIA) and Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) have gone through the first phase of implementing the system to improve control operations at the country's entry points.

In the meantime, Datuk Seri Saifuddin also explained that regarding the agency's workforce, no new staffing has been created, instead it only involves existing staff in related agencies.

"When there is a new agency, of course there will be a budget involved, staffing or logistics such as offices and so on. However, the unique thing about this AKPS staffing is that it is absorbed.

"Take Customs, for example, it contributes up to 1,090 officers to be under the AKPS. This means that the duty of assessment and the duty of receiving payment is done by Customs. Is it a new position? The answer is no, it is just transferred. The same goes for the police force," he said.