Immigration officials followed SOP

SEPANG: Immigration officials adhered strictly to standard operating procedures (SOP) when they allowed passengers bearing stolen passports to board MH370.
However, verification was based on image recognition and not on biometric details.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Aloyah Mamat said officials had processed Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad's Austrian passport bearing the name, Kozel Christian, on his arrival at KLIA on Feb 28.
"I am unable to ascertain if the Austrian and Italian passports bore biometric details to verify the thumbprint match of the individuals to the passport," she added.
She said Pouria was allowed to enter Malaysia after clearing immigration procedures.
"He was then issued a social visit pass valid for 90 days from Feb 28 to May 28,"' she said, adding that he was cleared for departure to Beijing after verifying that his entry into Malaysia was in order.
She said immigration officers at both times processed his clearance based on the department's standard operating procedure.
Aloyah said the passenger using the Italian passport of Miraldi Luigi arrived at KLIA on Feb 28. He claimed he arrived from Phuket on flight QR849.
She said he was allowed to enter Malaysia on clearing immigration. He was issued a social visit pass valid for 90 days from Feb 28.
She said he was cleared for departure on MH370 after verifying that his entry into Malaysia was in order and his social visit pass was valid.