With 1.2m Illegal “Tourists”, Immigration Dept Is On The Right Path

By – Datuk Tengku Putra Haron

Pleasing everyone everytime is an impossible task. Naturally one is chastised when there are perforations in the system but today one can even be crucified for avoiding the reoccurrence of such perforations. Under any circumstances, one should stick to the rulebook to be safe and sure.

The Immigration Dept was under heavy fire recently when the Tourism Minister confronted uniformed officers at the KLIA when a Chinese national was denied entry into this country for not fulfilling visa requirements at that point in time.

Visa requirements are imposed on every traveller at any port of entry in the world without fear or favour and the same must go with our borders as well.

What transpired at the KLIA recently was a disgrace and the weekly Cabinet meetings should be the place to thrash out differences between ministerial jurisdictions. This is not the wild west. Decorum should prevail especially between high govt officials and uniformed personnel in public.

We appreciate that tourism revenue is a high income generating source of this country. But, it should not be at the expense of National Security.

In earlier media reports, it was told that this foreign visitor was an employee with a media group from China. But in the official written report by the officer in charge, the interpreter said the visitor is here to take care of someone’s child. That in itself is quite ambiguous on the off-take.

Now, even if it is true that she is an employee of a media group and is here to temporarily babysit someone (giving her the benefit of the doubt) it is all the more reason for the immigration dept to sternly impose the SOP on her so that she can report it in their media reminding her fellow nationals to be more prepared with their papers when entering Malaysia. It will not deter them from coming but may help them be more prepared when they plan their next trip in.

LITTLE NAPOLEONS

The Prime Minister was right that there are areas that can be improved and “little napoleons” who will be dealt with, and we look forward to that.

But the Immigration Dept must not be bullied into indiscriminately allowing “suspect” foreign citizens into this country, just to chase their tourism dollars and not hurt their feelings.

The Home Ministry in a reply to a question in Parliament stated that in between 2018 and 2021, 1.2 million Chinese nationals were overstaying their welcome in breach of their visa.

National Security Is Paramount. And With 1.2 Million Overstaying/ Illegal Chinese Visitors At Large In This Country, I’d Say The Immigration Department Has Every Right To Tighten Their Screen Even More On Future “Tourists” From The Same To Ensure That They Are Genuine.

Datuk Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Jumat.
(Former Member Of The Johor State Legislature For Kempas N47).