PUTRAJAYA: Security checks, such as recording and verifying the biometrics of foreign tourists, including those from China and India, are still in effect at all entry points in the country, said Immigration director-general, Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.
He said that any visitor who is blacklisted or on the watchlist will be detected and prevented from entering Malaysia.
“The mandatory compliance with the Malaysian Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for all travellers entering Malaysia is still in place.
“The MDAC system records the whereabouts of visitors and allows the Immigration Department (JIM) to trace their location if needed, especially for enforcement purposes,“ he said in a statement today.
MDAC is one of five main initiatives to improve Immigration Department services, in line with the implementation of the Visa Liberalisation Plan (PLV), which grants 30-day visa exemption for tourists from China and India starting from last December 1.
Ruslin said this to address the confusion caused by some social media reports regarding alleged exemption from entry requirements for Chinese and Indian nationals at all entry points that were issued to all JIM offices.
Contrary to what was reported on social media, the instruction aimed to streamline JIM’s work processes at the country’s entry points, in accordance with the visa exemption for 30 days for Chinese and Indian nationals from December 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024. This facility is one of the initiatives announced by the government under the PLV.
Ruslin stressed that the issued directive does not compromise the integrity of existing security measures implemented by the department in managing the entry of foreign tourists into Malaysia.
“The Immigration Department reiterates that it will not compromise on security control and remains committed to ongoing efforts to facilitate and streamline the movement of visitors to support the country’s economic development,“ he said.
