KUALA LUMPUR: A dozen more immigration counters will be opened at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) by the end of November, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said this would be to improve the agency’s services at the country’s main entry point, adding that interpreters and extra personnel will be deployed to these counters to ease the processing of foreign visitors.
“This is a strategic collaboration between Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd and the Transport Ministry,” Saifuddin Nasution told the Dewan Rakyat here yesterday.
“Construction is expected to be completed by the end of November,” he said in a written reply to Kota Baru MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
Takiyuddin had asked about the results of an investigation into a June incident at KLIA that involved Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Tiong had allegedly barged into the Immigration Department’s section at KLIA to intervene in the agency’s detention of a Chinese national who arrived from Shenzen, China.
He said he and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officials helped the woman employed by a China-based media company.
The woman had alleged that although her travel documents were in order, she was denied entry by Immigration officers.
She claimed that she was asked to pay several thousand ringgit if she wanted to be allowed entry.
Tourism industry players had supported Tiong’s actions, claiming that he brought to light unscrupulous activities.
