Return tickets a must for foreign tourists in Malaysia

Return tickets a must for foreign tourists in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur - All foreign tourists must now have a return ticket when visiting Malaysia, as Putrajaya clamps down on the influx of illegal immigrants.

Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this was to make sure visitors do not overstay in the country.

Illegal immigrants typically enter Malaysia as tourists, then stay on to find work.

"We also advise them to have sufficient money for themselves throughout their stay here," he was quoted as saying by Malay daily Sinar Harian.

"Yes, (they need) a ticket and (enough) money for the period of their stay in Malaysia just to ensure that the visitor has a means to sustain himself or herself - and a ticket to leave the country," Datuk Wan Junaidi was later quoted as saying by Channel NewsAsia.

When asked if this would apply to visitors arriving by bus, train or ship as well, he said: "Workers generally arrive by plane, not through port or train. Anyway, the principle of having a return ticket and money to sustain oneself in the country should apply."

To stem the tide of such immigrants, which have been blamed for numerous social problems, the marine police, navy and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency are also keeping close watch over stretches of coastline, The Malay Mail Online reported.


This article was first published on December 14, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.