Immigration: Only 'genuine' visitors can enter Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department is tightening security surveillance at the country's entry points, says its director-general Datuk Seri Mustafa Ibrahim (pic). 

He said this was to ensure that every individual who entered the country was a “genuine” visitor.  

According to Mustafa, security was being enhanced following the bomb attack in Jakarta last Thursday and the arrests of individuals in connection with terrorist threats by the police.  

"The Immigration official has the right to conduct a more thorough inspection if the individual is seen to be suspicious.  

"Individuals under suspicion will be served with the Not to Land Notice (NTL) under Section 8 of the Immigration Act 1959/63 or detained for further investigation," Mustafa said in a statement here Monday.  

He said 68,363 individuals had been served with the NTL last year.  

He urged the public to be patient if they were caught in long queues at the Immigration checkpoints.

“The national security is our utmost priority,” said Mustafa, adding that the department recorded more than 124 million movements at the border checkpoints last year.

In Johor Baru, police said it would keep a watchful eye while helping to ease congestion at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex.  

More personnel would be on duty to strengthen security and aid traffic flow, said police chief Comm Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd.  

“We will continue working hand-in-hand with the Immigration and Customs Departments, especially on the routine checks of vehicles going in and out of the country.  

“We will also see how we can better collaborate with auxiliary police personnel there,” he added.

Accompanied by Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Sulaiman Salleh and a team of police, Immigration and Customs officers, Comm Wan Ahmad took over an hour to tour the complex.  

He said police had received numerous complaints about the heavy traffic flow. Thousands of commuters move between the two countries daily.  

“As the new police chief, I wanted to see it for myself. This is my first visit (to the complex).  

“We will look into ways to boost security and ease the congestion,” he said.  

On the presence of D9 police officers around the building, Comm Wan Ahmad said it was not uncommon for them to be patrolling the place.  

“It is normal for D9 officers to be on standby at the complex. It does not mean that something big is happening,” he said.