“Insya-Allah, our target and projection for 2024 will be achieved, and we will possibly exceed it,” Bernama reported him as saying at the 42nd World Customs Day celebration here.

Last year, the department’s revenue collection amounted to RM55.1 billion, exceeding the target of RM53.5 billion.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, praised the department, calling the figure a record success.

“The department would not have recorded such an impressive collection if it had not seen an increase in efficiency and allowed leakage and wastage to continue, or allowed one or two small groups to transfer wealth for themselves and their families,” he said.

Anwar said the department’s collection had hugely benefitted the public at all levels of society.

In thanking the staff for their contributions, Anwar announced an increase in the housing allocation for the department from RM20 million to RM50 million, and said he had instructed finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan and Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican to accelerate the disbursement of allocations for the staff quarters and other basic facilities.