30-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing personally intervened to aid an employee of a China-based media company who was allegedly detained by immigration officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) upon her arrival from Shenzhen on Thursday (June 29).
The woman claimed that despite possessing valid travel documents, she was denied entry by immigration officers and was asked to pay a substantial amount of money in order to gain entry.
Accompanied by her superior, a senior official from a Chinese government-owned TV station, the woman encountered discrepancies in her travel documents while her superior was cleared and granted entry by the Immigration Department.
Upon learning of the distressing situation faced by her colleague, the station official promptly contacted the Consulate General of Malaysia in Guangzhou for assistance. Subsequently, Tiong received a call from a staff member of the Consulate General’s office, relaying the alleged incident.
In response, Tiong swiftly reached out to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and, accompanied by its officers, proceeded to KLIA at 3pm to investigate the matter. He personally met and spoke to both the visitors and the immigration officers on duty.
Tiong stated that the immigration officers explained the incident as a misunderstanding due to a language barrier between them and the Chinese nationals. Moreover, the women, believed to be in their 40s, had their cellphones seized by the immigration officers.
Questioning the authority of the officers to confiscate their phones, Tiong highlighted that it was the women’s first trip to Malaysia and they expressed astonishment at encountering such problems, which they had not faced in other countries.
“They are appalled by the incident, which has caused them great embarrassment,” Tiong told The Star. He further mentioned that the women recorded all conversations with the airport officials and intend to publicize their unpleasant experience upon returning to China.
Following Tiong’s intervention, the personal assistant was eventually granted entry into the country.
Tiong learned that the TV station official had come to Malaysia to pursue her PhD at a local university in Shah Alam, with her personal assistant accompanying her.
This was not the first time Tiong had intervened in such matters at KLIA. “Thursday’s incident was the fifth time I had gone to intervene on such matters. Also, claims that I did not have a pass to enter the arrival zone are untrue as I do have one, which is valid until next year,” he clarified.
Expressing his puzzlement, Tiong questioned why the Immigration Department did not engage translators, despite previous recommendations, to overcome language barriers with Chinese travelers. He suggested that the department should utilize translators employed by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).
An online news portal reported Thursday night that a Cabinet minister had caused a commotion in the KLIA arrival hall while attempting to “free” a Chinese national who was denied entry into Malaysia. The news site also alleged that the minister had entered the restricted zone at the airport without a permit or pass.
