SEPANG: To overcome the challenge of foreign tourists overstaying in Malaysia, the Immigration Department has initiated a comprehensive plan to tackle the issue head-on by scrutinising and purifying existing data.
Recognising the importance of accurate data, the department has formed a dedicated task force led by Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh(pic).
He said that the team aims to obtain an accurate and reliable figure within the next two months.
"The task force, comprising key department directors such as the passport director, KLIA entrance director, information technology director, visa director and foreign workers director, is set to examine the entry and exit data of foreigners thoroughly," he said during a press conference following the Immigration Department's operation at KL International Airport Terminal 1 on Friday (Dec 1).
The Immigration Department assured the public that this dedicated team was working tirelessly to ensure data accuracy concerning foreign nationals' entry and exit records.
They were committed to resolving any issues arising from implementing this initiative.
Meanwhile, he stressed that the objective was to tackle the issue effectively, not only with tourists from China but also from other nations.
Last year, the Home Ministry said more than 1.2 million Chinese visitors had overstayed between 2018 and 2021.
