KUALA LUMPUR – Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has confirmed that he was the minister who was reportedly involved in a commotion at the international arrival hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recently.
He said he had gone to check on a tourist who was detained without any reason given. He said there was a problem as the tourist and the immigration officers had a communication problem.
He claimed that it is customary for a minister to conduct such visits to understand the situation concerning the arrival of foreign tourists in Malaysia.
“This monitoring is part of my role as a minister to actively engage with the field.
“Initially, I intended to address this issue through practical channels, but due to its viral nature and media inquiries, I feel compelled to provide an explanation,” he said in a statement today.
Tiong called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct a large-scale raid at the international arrival gate. He added that he was accompanied by investigators from his ministry’s integrity unit when he went in.
“I was told that the tourist had a complete set of documentation. However, communication failure resulted in the immigration officers failing to obtain the relevant documents,” he said.
He stressed that he has raised the issue of such lack of communication since March, adding that there should be translators provided for tourists from the Middle East, China and India at entry points.
“The question is: why did they reject the translators provided by Malaysia Airport Holding Bhd (MAHB)?” he said
Meanwhile, Immigration Director-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said an immediate investigation will be carried out comprehensively covering all related aspects of the incident.
According to him, the public is requested to cooperate so that the investigation process runs smoothly.
He referred to a report on an online portal claiming that the minister created a ruckus at KLIA when demanding that a Chinese visitor be released from immigration detention.
“The news was published yesterday and was quoted by several other media agencies,” Ruslin said in a statement today.
He noted that the commotion arose when the minister reportedly barged into the international arrival hall because he wanted to free the female tourist who was detained by the department.
The incident went viral on social media. The minister was said to have exceeded his powers, including scolding the enforcement officers on duty.
“The department requests that the public give space so that the investigation can be carried out transparently, and not make any speculations or provocations that could disturb the investigation,” he said. – The Vibes, June 30, 2023
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