Why do foreign travellers have to come to Malaysia, only to be issued with “Not To Land” (NTL) notices, hence requiring them to expend monies to return from where they came from? If Malaysia is to deny entry, then ought it not be done at the point of departure itself?
"Initial investigations show that 41 individuals had arrived on NTL (Not-To-Land notices) and were supposed to have been directed to a company appointed by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd to facilitate (their return).
CORRUPTION and abuses are a problem in Malaysia, and there have been several issues that have been raised, even before Malaysia's Tourism Minister raised issues of concern - concerning a person denied entry into Malaysia.
The Bintulu MP also claimed to have been informed that Immigration officers had allegedly demanded RM3,000 from foreign tourists to secure their release from detention.
He further claimed that an additional RM3,000 was sought if the tourists wanted to return to their country of origin immediately using a “special lane”, along with RM12,000 as the cost for visa processing.
We suddenly found out of a COMPANY being appointed by MAHB to handle victims who suddenly were not permitted to enter Malaysia. [How many of such cases daily - about 41?]. WHY were they denied entry?
Now, MAHB denies appointing the company - it says that iimigration department endorsed the appointment...
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has denied awarding a contract to a company based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to handle travellers given the immigration department’s “Not to Land” (NTL) notice.
MAHB said the handling of NTL passengers falls under the purview of the respective airlines and the immigration department, as specified under the law.
It said the independent company tasked with handling NTL passengers at the airport was appointed by the KLIA Airline Operators Committee (AOC), a committee of 40 airline operators at KLIA and 26 associates, and not by MAHB.
“The appointment was agreed and endorsed by the immigration department.
So, it was the IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT - hence, is there a specific law that deals with these cases, including the 'charges' that could be imposed??? As mentioned earlier, why can't the vetting be done at the point of departure itself - hence preventing them from boarding the plane to come to Malaysia if Malaysia is going to deny entry??? After all, during the Covid-19 pandemic, that was done - no one was allowed to board the plane unless they had proven that they had satisfied conditions to visit Malaysia.
There was once the possibility that there were abuses with remand cases - for if remanded in police lock-ups, then it gives business for persons who supply food to those detained in police lock-up. So, is this practice of letting them come to KLIA and then denies entry have similar intention of giving the said company business? It also opens the door to 'corruption' as raised by our Tourism Minisiter.
Why exactly was there a 'denial to enter Malaysia'? Was it because they did not have a 'return ticket', or because they did not have an address they will be staying at when in Malaysia? What is the reason? If already 'blacklisted' - then they should not be allowed to even board the plane to KLIA logically..
PM Anwar decided to make a SURPRISE VISIT - but where is that Home Minister, who is responsible for immigration?
Anwar's visit showed his own incompetency as Finance Minister when he 'just discovered' 6 out of 7 Luggage Scanners in KLIA are not working. As Finance Minister responsible for Customs Department, he must be top of things - so, will be be taken action against the Custom Officers for not keeping him informed. Does Anwar even know that the 2 Aerotrains in KLIA is also not working? He is PRIME MINISTER, and he chose his Cabinet Members...and he must be fully aware of the Ministries/Departments under his direct jurisdictions. 7-8 months later, the Minister becoming aware is shocking - is it a sign of 'incompetency'?
Anwar said he found that only one of the seven luggage scanners operated by the Customs Department at KLIA was in operation and wanted the situation rectified immediately.
“I am also the Minister of Finance, and the Customs Department is under my responsibility. Does it need to wait for the minister to come only to know that the machines are damaged?
Now, another immigration and human resource issue is the fact of documented migrant workers in Malaysia with no pay...> every migrant worker entering Malaysia already have an employer, sadly some are Contractors For Labour who do not themselves have work in their company for the migrant workers they are permitted by the Immigration Department and Malaysia to bring in....I am of the opinion that the Contractor For Labour must be ABOLISHED. Only permit TRUE Employers with jobs to bring in Migrant Workers to Malaysia...
By reason of present law, when the migrant worker comes into Malaysia, he she on record already has an EMPLOYER(even if that is a Contractor For Labour, and thus the migrant workers MUST be paid as per the contract and law, and that will be the amount stated in the Agreement, which must be at least the minimum wages.
600 Bangladeshi migrant workers came into the country through four different companies in the belief that they would get jobs as housekeepers in Genting Highlands. However, they are currently cooped up in a small hostel in Nilai, Seremban.
Some workers claimed to have received RM200 from a company representative, hardly enough to tide them through the four months they have been in Malaysia.
What is Anwar's response to this? What is our Human Resource Minister doing? They are entitled to FULL wages, not just RM200....The complaint must be lodged at the HR Department and taken by the LABOUR COURT(Mahkamah Buruh) fast ...everytime some employer does this, it gives Malaysia a bad name.
Then, there was the Sabri Umar miscarriage of justice SCANDAL - Anwar is yet to respond...
Wrongfully jailed: 'I was among 35 inmates whipped on same day' ? Will Anwar Ibrahim led government fare better that Ismail Sabri's?
PM Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysia needs to ensure justice be done to documented migrant worker Sabri, who was wrongly convicted, imprisoned and WHIPPED for being illegally in Malaysia(28 Groups)
As Prime Minister, Anwar need to address ALL issues - no just selective issues when a Minister Highlights it..
After tourism minister’s KLIA controversy, PM Anwar makes surprise visit to Terminal 1’s Customs and Immigration officers (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today made a surprise visit to the Customs and Immigration officers of Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) Terminal 1.
His visit, which lasted 30 minutes, happened at around 12.20pm ahead of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah’s arrival from Saudi Arabia after completing the Haj.
It is understood that Anwar was not accompanied by any ministers or department heads and that he interacted only with the Customs and Immigration officers who were on duty at the time.
This came after Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing made headlines earlier this week after apparently forcing his way into the arrival hall of KLIA’s Terminal 1 without a valid pass.
Anwar said the Cabinet will discuss the incident as well as the ensuing allegations made by Tiong on Wednesday.
“But generally, the majority of Immigration officers here perform their duties well. However, there are a few who might be problematic or make mistakes. Appropriate action will be taken against those officers.
“Right now, I am just looking at the steps taken so far, and the Customs and Immigration Department has given me a very good and positive response,” Anwar said briefly at the end of his surprise visit.
He said the aim of the investigation would be to weed out any corrupt elements from within the system.
On Friday, Tiong issued a statement explaining that he was at the arrival hall of KLIA’s Terminal 1 on a work visit and that he had a valid pass at that time.
The Bintulu MP also claimed to have been informed that Immigration officers had allegedly demanded RM3,000 from foreign tourists to secure their release from detention.
He further claimed that an additional RM3,000 was sought if the tourists wanted to return to their country of origin immediately using a “special lane”, along with RM12,000 as the cost for visa processing.
Separately, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed it had commenced investigations into the allegations of corruption involving Immigration officers as raised by Tiong.
Affirming the matter, the agency’s Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, urged the public to refrain from speculation. - Malay Mail, 2/7/2023
7
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said his surprise visit to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday was aimed at raising the credibility and integrity of the Immigration Department (JIM) which is being publicly criticised.
Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department’s monthly assembly here today, the prime minister said from his observation, the majority of the Immigration personnel at KLIA performed their duties well, and only a small handful were still with the old practices.
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“We always say that one bad apple spoils the whole barrel...it is not right for us to give the general impression and perception (because of one bad apple) that the Immigration Department is flawed,“ he added.
Anwar was at KLIA for about 30 minutes and from the visit, he found the management and operation of the Customs Department and the Immigration Department under control and stated that appropriate action would be taken to improve the situation and resolve any problems.
Anwar said he found that only one of the seven luggage scanners operated by the Customs Department at KLIA was in operation and wanted the situation rectified immediately.
“I am also the Minister of Finance, and the Customs Department is under my responsibility. Does it need to wait for the minister to come only to know that the machines are damaged?
“If the cost is only a few million, we can approve it immediately and I believe that neither the KPPA (Director-General of Public Services Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamad) nor the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) will investigate (immediate approval) because the situation is urgent,” he said.
As such, the prime minister emphasised the need for the top officers to go down and see the department’s operation for themselves and not to make assumptions that everything was operating well.
“The aim is to improve, not to find fault or criticise,“ he added.
Meanwhile, Anwar said he received information that there were individuals eligible for citizenship being asked to pay a sum of money for the citizenship certificate and believed that the matter was being investigated.
“There
have to be strong and decisive action, otherwise it will hurt the image
of the (National Registration Department) administration,“ he said and
expressed the need for all weaknesses to be rectified so that they would
affect the image of the department, civil servants and the country. -
Bernama, The Sun Daily, 3/7/2023
Azam: Two foreigners in KLIA case returned to China, statements taken from another 12 people
PUTRAJAYA: The two foreigners involved in a commotion with Immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport upon arrival on June 30 have returned to China.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the woman from China at the centre of the issue and her witness returned home today. They were allowed to leave after their statements had been recorded.
He said the two were among 14 people whose statements had been recorded so far, along with Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who had reportedly gone to their rescue.
He added that the two had come for a holiday to Malaysia but had decided to leave after being embroiled in an alleged corruption case involving Immigration officers who had tried to "extort" them.
"Both of them have given their statements and we have no reason to stop them from leaving," he told reporters.
Azam said eight Immigration officers who were on duty at the time of the incident have also given their statements to MACC.
He also reiterated that MACC had identified the "middleman" who allegedly demanded for an administration fee of RM18,000 via a phone call for the woman to be allowed into Malaysia.
"Initial investigations show that 41 individuals had arrived on NTL (Not-To-Land notices) and were supposed to have been directed to a company appointed by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd to facilitate (their return).
"It was only after that the complainant received the telephone call, requesting her to pay an administration fee. We have recorded the company director's statement and also have identified the middleman who was allegedly responsible for making the demand.
"We are trying to locate the middleman before bringing him in for questioning," he said after launching the agency's TikTok channel at Hotel Everly.
He said the commission expects to call up another four or five individuals before it completes the investigation into the KLIA incident.
"Once completed, we will hand over the IP (investigation papers) to the DPP (deputy public prosecutor) for further directives," he said.
In his speech earlier, Azam reminded the public not to make wild accusations or speculate that enforcement officials were the culprits responsible for demanding a hefty "administration fee" for tourists to enter Malaysia.
Meanwhile, on the MACC TikTok launch, Azam said the channel was meant to educate and keep the public informed of the commission's latest updates.
"It is important for the commission to embark on new trending ways to keep the public informed of our initiatives and anti-corruption campaigns, especially among the younger generation," he said.
Earlier, MACC also conducted a one-day engagement programme called "MACC-Media strengthening strategic partnership" with some 20 journalists from various publications.
Three speakers, MACC's special operations deputy director Saiful Ezral Arifin, inspection and consultation deputy director Sudirman Aban and MACC Operation Evaluation Panel chairman Datuk Ahmad Rosli Mohd Sham provided insights into the commission's duties, roles and operations to the group of journalists.
An hour-long forum related to corruption titled "Media Conventional vs Media Influencer" featuring New Straits Times group editor Farrah Naz Karim and media influencer Iqbal also took place at the event.
The forum which discussed on the challenges and advantages of both types of media was moderated by MACC's Samsul Salip.- NST, 5/7/2023
MAHB denies contracting company to handle NTL travellers
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd says the handling of ‘Not to Land’ passengers falls under the purview of the respective airlines and the immigration department.
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PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has denied awarding a contract to a company based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to handle travellers given the immigration department’s “Not to Land” (NTL) notice.
MAHB said the handling of NTL passengers falls under the purview of the respective airlines and the immigration department, as specified under the law.
It said the independent company tasked with handling NTL passengers at the airport was appointed by the KLIA Airline Operators Committee (AOC), a committee of 40 airline operators at KLIA and 26 associates, and not by MAHB.
“The appointment was agreed and endorsed by the immigration department. As the airport operator, MAHB provided a suitable space to facilitate the handling of NTL passengers while awaiting their return flights,” it said in a statement.
MAHB was responding to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki, who said an agent who allegedly solicited a fee to help a Chinese national after she was denied entry into Malaysia is linked to a company based at the airport.
He said the company had been given a contract by MAHB to manage travellers slapped with the NTL notice since 2017.
MACC is tracking down the agent, who is believed to be a foreigner. Azam said MACC will also record a statement from the company in the near future.
He also said MACC must thoroughly investigate whether the contract given to this company is something that is allowed by the government.
Last Friday, tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing admitted to being in a commotion with immigration officers at KLIA Terminal 1 after he attempted to intervene in a case where a Chinese national was allegedly prohibited entry into Malaysia.
Tiong claimed his visit to the airport had exposed a “culture of corruption by a few officials and the chronic abuse of power”.
Yesterday, Azam said MACC had recorded statements from at least 14 individuals regarding the incident, including two women and eight immigration officers. He also confirmed that Tiong also had his statement recorded.
On Tuesday, an MACC source said the anti-graft agency was
tracking down an individual who acted as an agent and allegedly
solicited bribes amounting to RM18,000 to resolve such cases. - FMT, 6/7/2023
No work, money or food – nightmare of migrant jobseekers
A group of 120 Bangladeshi migrant workers seek jobs and compensation after struggling to survive since arriving in Malaysia four months ago.
PETALING JAYA: With no jobs, meagre accommodation, and mounting debt, hundreds of Bangladeshi migrant workers’ dreams of a better future in Malaysia have turned into a nightmare.
Despite their pleas for help, their plight remains unresolved, leaving them in distress.
Infuriated with their living conditions, around 120 Bangladeshi migrant workers gathered at the Bangladesh High Commission in the sweltering heat yesterday seeking a resolution.
A spokesman for the workers who wished to be identified as Abraham said workers had not been given jobs upon their arrival in February or paid any allowance in the last four months.
“They (Bangladeshi workers) came here and their accommodations are not appropriate. Even some of the accommodation don’t have proper sanitation (facilities). Their situation is very bad.
“No one can imagine the environment of their living area, no jobs, no money, and no food to survive,” he told FMT.
Abraham said as many as 600 Bangladeshi migrant workers came into the country through four different companies in the belief that they would get jobs as housekeepers in Genting Highlands. However, they are currently cooped up in a small hostel in Nilai, Seremban.
Some workers claimed to have received RM200 from a company representative, hardly enough to tide them through the four months they have been in Malaysia.
“(The workers) are frustrated and depressed because they took out loans from relatives, banks and sold land to come here,” said Abraham, adding that their sacrifice seemed to have been for nothing.
He said the workers also had to pay exorbitant recruitment fees ranging from RM20,000 to RM25,000.
Abraham said the workers voiced their grievances to Bangladesh High Commission officials and asked for help to secure job placements and financial compensation from their employers.
Later in the day, Abraham said an employer from one of the companies met with an official at the high commission and agreed that they would arrange jobs for the workers and pay them one month’s salary within 10 days.
FMT has asked the Bangladesh High Commission for comment.
In April, the high commission said Putrajaya’s approval process for the recruitment of migrant workers lacked transparency, leading to many workers being left unemployed. It said the labour department holds responsibility to ensure the legal rights of all domestic and migrant workers.
Reuters
reported that the labour department has promised to take action against
recruitment agencies and companies found to have misused government
quotas and licences for hiring migrant workers, leaving them stranded
without jobs. - FMT, 16/5/2023
In Malaysia, migrants say they are in limbo after promised jobs fall through
KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Reuters) - Stranded without work for months, hundreds of South Asian migrants in Malaysia say they are losing hope after failing to find jobs promised to them by recruitment agents in exchange for thousands of dollars in fees.
At a students' dormitory about 40 km (25 miles) from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, about 500 migrants – mostly young men from Nepal and Bangladesh who had arrived in Malaysia since December – spend their days in crowded rooms or at an open-air cafeteria.
They say they arrived in the country on a three-month work visa that was meant to be upgraded to a work permit, but never was. Because their legal status is unclear, they are afraid to leave the premises, the workers told Reuters at the facility where they are staying.
Many say recruitment agents took their passports and continue to promise them jobs.
"We are all depressed and helpless. We already paid a huge amount for the job. How can I pay that back if I do not have a job?" a Nepali migrant at the dormitory told Reuters.
The 23-year-old, who declined to be identified for fear of backlash from recruitment agents, signed a two-year contract with a Malaysian cleaning company but has not started work. He said he, like others there, had borrowed 300,000 Nepali rupees ($2,300) to pay an agent for the job. He was promised a monthly salary of 2,062 ringgit ($464.94) per month.
The workers at the facility all tell similar stories: upon arriving in Malaysia, recruiting agencies told them no jobs were immediately available and took them to accommodation facilities to wait. They were then told they would eventually be employed; in the meantime, they must pay for their own food without a salary.
It is unclear how the workers ended up without jobs despite arriving in Malaysia with employment contracts and promises that their temporary work visas would become permanent on arrival. Malaysia last month launched an investigation.
Puncak Jupiter Management Services and Star Domain Resources, listed as employers on some of the workers' travel documents, did not respond to requests for comment. Amial International, one of the recruitment agencies the workers used, did not respond to requests for comment.
Malaysia's Human Resources Ministry and the labour department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ministry has promised to find jobs for a separate group of 226 stranded workers from Bangladesh and Nepal.
Migrants form the backbone of Malaysia's export-reliant economy, making up about 15% of the country's 15 million workforce. Malaysian companies have faced U.S. bans in recent years over use of forced labour.
Rights activists say migrant workers have been at greater risk after Malaysia eased recruitment processes this year in a bid to fill a 1.2 million job shortage across its plantation, manufacturing and construction industries.
"It's a bigger problem now," said Adrian Pereira, the executive director of migrant rights' group North South Initiative, adding that his team had received reports of about 1,200 other workers across Malaysia caught in a similar plight.
The Bangladesh embassy in Kuala Lumpur last month called for more transparency by Malaysia to prevent its citizens from being cheated of jobs.
A Bangladeshi official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, told Reuters a "few hundred" of its citizens were stuck in Malaysia without jobs.
The Nepal embassy has also said it received such complaints.
At the facility visited by Reuters, the migrants lived four to six in small rooms with bunk beds and one shared bathroom.
Two workers - Nepali citizens aged 43 and 46 – died by suicide between February and April at the facility, the Nepalese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said, citing reports from the Malaysian police and hospitals. Reuters could not determine why the two men killed themselves.
Without income, the migrants find it difficult to buy food and pay back loans back home.
"We still don't know whether we will get a job or not. The agent keeps asking us to wait... it's been three months," one Bangladeshi worker said.
($1 = 4.4350 ringgit)
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