KUALA LUMPUR – A pregnant Chinese national, who has been barred from entering Malaysia on November 30, will be allowed to cross the border to stay with her in-laws for the duration of her pregnancy.
The woman, identified as Mrs Yong, 27, who is in her last trimester, is married to a Malaysian living in Singapore. She was denied entry last week at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Bukit Chagar, Johor, because she has a 14-day visa, which will cover only the mandatory quarantine duration in Malaysia.
Her sister-in-law, who wished to be known only as Choo, said an official from the Immigration Department informed her that Mrs Yong will be allowed into the country.
“(The official) said there should not be a problem for her to enter Malaysia, but my brother must be with her,” Choo said when contacted.
Previously, it was reported how the entry refusal had put Mrs Yong and her husband in a quandary as she can cannot stay in Singapore.
The woman no longer has residency in Singapore as her work permit was cancelled due to her pregnancy, and she will have to either leave the country by December 14 or face deportation.
The husband, who wished to be known only as Yong, 31, from Kluang, Johor, could not sponsor his wife as a dependent on his employment pass because, as a store manager, he does not meet the minimum fixed monthly salary requirement of S$6,000 (RM18,285) nor can he accompany her across the border as he did not want to risk losing his job.
Crossing the border would mean he will have to be gone for a month due to quarantine requirements.
The letter refusing entry to Mrs Yong stated that the rejection was done under Section 8 (3) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963, which lists a variety of prohibited immigrants, including those who cannot support themselves.
Meanwhile, Yong was relieved when he heard that his wife will be able to cross the border, saying that he “preferred not to let her go back to China (to give birth) because it is too far”.
He said they planned to travel to Malaysia on December 10, adding that his company had granted him leave under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement to stay with his wife for over a month and apply for a long-term pass for her. – Bernama, December 7, 2020
