Immigration department unable to trace 19 individuals linked to Network School in Forest City amid immigration probe.
CYBERJAYA: The Immigration Department is unable to trace the movements of 19 individuals linked to Network School in Forest City, Johor, amid an ongoing investigation into alleged immigration irregularities.
Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban (pic) said Immigration records identified 430 people involved in the technology community’s activities, with 210 still in Malaysia and 201 having left the country.
READ MORE: Over 130,000 arrested for Immigration offences since 2025, says Saifuddin
“There are 19 people whose movements cannot be traced. They may have left illegally, or they may have entered illegally.
“We will conduct further investigations and may be able to trace them if they are still in the country, or determine whether they have already left,” he told reporters after the 104th Immigration Day celebration here today.
Zakaria said Immigration had conducted two inspections and checked 379 foreign nationals linked to Network School, but had so far found nothing to support the allegations raised against the community.
The issue emerged on July 14 following social media allegations that Israeli nationals had participated in Network School programmes using passports issued by other countries.
The Home Ministry subsequently ordered a comprehensive investigation into the identities and nationalities of those involved, the validity of their travel documents and immigration passes, their stated reasons for entering Malaysia, and whether their activities complied with immigration laws.
On July 15, Immigration said all 266 foreign nationals initially inspected at the Forest City community possessed valid immigration documents, although further compliance checks were continuing.
Zakaria said the department was working with other enforcement agencies, the Johor government and local authorities in handling the case.
Asked whether Immigration could detect individuals holding more than one passport, he said its system could identify them when different travel documents were used to enter and leave the country.
“If a person enters using a passport from country A and later leaves using another passport, our system will automatically detect it through biometrics and other records.
“But if the person uses only one passport, even if we suspect that the person possesses another passport, the Immigration system cannot identify it,” he said.
Zakaria said those inspected had used valid passports issued by other countries.
On July 17, Network School founder Balaji Srinivasan said a proposed expansion worth more than RM500 million had been put on hold pending assurances that the controversy would not recur.
The former Coinbase chief technology officer also sought a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, arguing that the investigation could affect Malaysia’s efforts to attract technology investment and global talent.
