Immigration DG: Security checks on foreign tourists still in place

Security checks, such as recording and verifying the biometrics of foreign tourists, including those from China and India, are still in effect at all entry points in the country, said Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh.

He said any visitor who is blacklisted or on the watchlist will be detected and prevented from entering Malaysia.

“The mandatory compliance with the Malaysian Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for all travellers entering Malaysia is still in place.

“The MDAC system records the whereabouts of visitors and allows the Immigration Department to trace their location if needed, especially for enforcement purposes,” he said in a statement today.

MDAC is one of five main initiatives to improve Immigration Department services, in line with the implementation of the Visa Liberalisation Plan (PLV), which grants 30-day visa exemption for tourists from China and India starting Dec 1 last year.

Ruslin said this to address the confusion caused by some social media reports regarding instructions to Immigration Department offices about alleged entry requirement exemptions for Chinese and Indian nationals.

Contrary to what was reported on social media, the directive aims to streamline the Immigration Department’s work processes at the country’s entry points according to the 30-day visa exemption for Chinese and Indian nationals starting December 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024. This is one of the initiatives announced by the government under the PLV.

Ruslin stressed that the issued directive does not compromise the integrity of existing security measures implemented by the department in managing the entry of foreign tourists into Malaysia.

“The Immigration Department reiterates that it will not compromise on security control and remains committed to ongoing efforts to facilitate and streamline the movement of visitors to support the country’s economic development,” he said.

- Bernama