SOP : Put Tourists In Detention, If They Pay The 'Agents' Then Release Them

• Tiong said not first time he had shown up at KLIA to resolve such issues
• Thurs incident was fifth time I had gone to intervene on such matters

 

 

PLEASE READ MY COMMENTS IN BLUE AT THE VERY BOTTOM

 

1. FMT reporting about Minister of Tourism Tiong at the KLIA

• Tiong: officers charging RM3,000 to release detained travellers
• additional RM3,000 if you want to return to your country immediately
• RM12,000 for cost of processing visa
  

 

 

• Tourism Minister Tiong said his visit exposed corruption at KLIA
• My presence uncovered corruption, chronic abuse of power
• he would be providing MACC with details
• Tiong: officers charging RM3,000 to release detained travellers
• additional RM3,000 if you want to return to your country immediately
• RM12,000 for cost of processing visa
• I will raise this matter in Cabinet 
• do away with agents who "handle" tourists refused entry
• Tiong suggested matter be handled by airlines to prevent similar incidents

 

2. Malay Mail reporting about Minister of Tourism Tiong at the KLIA

 

Tiong: intention to conceal corruption

MACC to investigate KLIA
officers afraid this  will expose their personal interest
corruption among officers, chronic abuse of power at entry points

Tiong brought MACC officers from integrity unit 
they were shocked by MACC participation 
worry their ‘source of income’ cut off
they protect their friends by leaking info

time for MACC to enter KLIA on large scale  

investigate this main entry point of the country

• female tourist detained without being told why
• tourist had complete documents
• woman detained 15 hours

foreign tourists handphones seized upon arrival 
not told why they were detained
officers “changed the law” as they wished

 

Tiong: officers asked money to release detained foreign tourists 

RM3,000 for release from detention, including return ticket
extra RM3,000 if tourist wanted to return immediately  
RM12,000 cost for visa processing
All this info will be given to MACC
 

• Tiong will raise matter in Cabinet 
• propose abolish "agents" handling “Not to Land” (NTL) tourists  
• increasingly chronic non-transparency, power abuse (at entry points)
• cancel 3rd parties (agents) who handle return tickets for detainees
• (better) handled by airlines to prevent repeat of negative incidents like this
• Ministry of Tourism will work to eradicate corruption, power abuse 
  

 

3.  The Star reporting about Minister of Tourism Tiong at the KLIA.

Tiong personally step in to help employee of China media company   

after she was held up by officers at KLIA on arrival from Shenzhen 
Tiong said not first time he had shown up at KLIA to resolve such issues
Thurs incident was fifth time I had gone to intervene on such matters
after he intervened, the personal assistant was allowed to enter country

her travel documents in order, she was denied entry
she was asked to pay several thousand ringgit to be allowed entry
arrived with her superior, senior official of Chinese govt-owned TV station

• her superior cleared, allowed entry  
• woman is personal assistant but denied entry
• the superior called Consulate General of M'sia in Guangzhou
• Consulate General  called Tiong

• I contacted MACC and together we went to KLIA to investigate
• Tiong said officers told him the matter was misunderstanding
• the two women had cellphones seized by officers
• What powers do they have to seize their phones?
• They are appalled, has caused them great embarrassment

They have recorded all the conversations with the airport officials  

intend to expose their unpleasant experience when they return to China

My Comments :

They are turning Malaysia into a first class p@ri@h state. Really low-class, Third World shit hole. The country's image is really being destroyed.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution did not say the right things about this very serious matter. Saifuddin said 'TINDAKAN LANJUT LEPAS DAPAT LAPORAN PENUH'.

 

Wrong answer Saifudin. You should at least say 'Officers involved in this matter will be immediately suspended pending a LAPORAN PENUH'. 

That will send a strong signal to the corrupted people. Because the person who is exposing this corrupt behaviour is no less than a Cabinet Minister. Your own colleague inside the Unity Gomen aka the Madani gomen. 

Instead you are basically saying no tindakan until after a laporan penuh. You are insulting your fellow Cabinet Minister. You are suggesting that your fellow Cabinet Minister may be making unfounded accusations.

Tiong the Minister of Tourism says this is the FIFTH TIME HE IS INTERVENING IN SUCH CASES. He seems to know what he is saying.

This problem involves FIVE Ministries directly: KDN, Tourism, Wisma Putra, Transport (KLIA) and Information (MCMC) as stated by the Tourism Minister.

The whole country's reputation is at stake.

Before I go further Saifuddin must be aware of another incident at the KLIA, an unrelated case yet not completely dissimilar.

On 25th May 2023 a small band of jazz musicians from Germany arrived at the KLIA to give a free music performance at the Panggung Bandaraya (on the same day). The Linntett band is led by German musician Kira Linn. The very next day they arrived in Jakarta on their South East Asia tour. Their schedule was very tight. 

 

Their presence here was sponsored by the German government through the Goethe Institute, Kuala Lumpur.

But upon arrival the jazz group was held up at the KLIA and denied entry into the country. They were stuck at the KLIA for about four hours. German officials were alerted about this most unforeseen hold-up and started making phone calls to the German ambassador, Wisma Putra etc. Finally after four hours the jazz musicians were allowed to enter Malaysia.  (In the case of the Chinese woman above she was held up for 15 hours). The Germans left for Jakarta the next day. There were more comments about those Germans which I will not repeat here. In brief they were quite relieved to get out of Malaysia. 

But the Minister of Tourism's complaint is very clear : corruption, corruption, corruption.

Foreigners arriving here who may have "issues" (real or imaginary) with their travel documents are "pounced upon" for money. Bribery. Corruption. That is what the Minister is saying quite point blank. 

They are detained including getting locked up at the "detention centers".

Then the "agents" get into the act.  The "agents" offer their services to get the "errant" foreigners released from detention and/or even arrange for their return tickets - of course after the foreigners pay those sums of money mentioned by Minister Tiong above.

Tiong: officers asked money to release detained foreign tourists 

RM3,000 for release from detention, including return ticket
extra RM3,000 if tourist wanted to return immediately  
RM12,000 cost for visa processing

Of course if they are already locked up, their handphones have been confiscated, they have no way of communicating with their country, their embassy (or the Malaysian Consul in Guangzhou) they will be quite desperate to pay the money and get out of detention.

The "agents" make easy money from other people being detained or getting locked up at the detention centers. This is actually human trafficking. You pay me money to come in or you pay me money to get out. Of course the 'agents' will give a cut to the corrupt officers. The whole system is already rigged.

One day our country will pay a hefty price for allowing this type of behaviour to happen here.  Do not think that such things do not go unnoticed by the rest of the world and do not think there will be no repercussions.

The Minister Tiong has already suggested a simple, practical and PERMANENT SOLUTION to this problem.

In ALL other countries, whenever a foreigner arrives at the airport with problematic travel documents, or he is an undesirable or unwanted person, then the airline which flew them in is obliged to arrange for their leaving the country immediately - on the next earliest flight. At the airlines own cost. If there are delays the airlines bear the cost of the food and lodging of the person involved. 

There is no need for 'agents', no need for detention centers, no need for money payments etc.

The airlines must bear the responsibility if they bring "problematic" travellers into our country.

At the land crossings (Thai border, Singapore crossings, Indonesian border) just tell them to turn around and walk back. At the sea crossings by boat just tell the boat and ferry operators to take them back. Problem solved.

But this is Malaysia. In Malaysia some greedy devils see plenty of opportunity to pounce on foreigners who may have incomplete travel documents. The foreigners become victims. They are locked up until they pay the "agents".

So it is no surprise that the youth leader  of Parti Rasuah Malaysia has already started complaining loudly against the Minister of Tourism.  They have an agenda. Possibly money is involved.

My final message to Saifuddin Nasution - please keep your nose clean. Dont get mixed up with any of this crap that is going on. Do your job properly and put a stop to all this nonsense. Catch these crooks and send them off to jail.

And immediately check all the detention centers - to make sure that no foreigners are being detained unlawfully so that the crooks can extract money from them.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.