A family’s long-awaited trip to Jakarta turned into a frustrating ordeal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recently when they were stopped by immigration over an alleged tax issue that turned out to be a mistake.
Irynn Ching took to Facebook on February 23 to share her disappointment after she and her husband missed their flight due to the incident.
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According to her post, the day began early at 4am, and by 7.55am, they were ready to board when immigration officers halted them, citing her husband’s supposed unresolved tax matters with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
Confused by the claim, her husband attempted to contact an LHDN officer using the number provided by the authorities, but his calls went unanswered.
Finally, just ten minutes before departure, the couple was informed there was no outstanding debt.
“At 8.45am, he (her husband) was finally cleared, as they confirmed he had no outstanding dues. So why was he stopped in the first place?
“We ran as fast as we could but missed the flight by just 2-3 minutes,” she wrote.
To make matters worse, the cost of a new ticket was three times the original fare. Unable to justify the expense, they opted to cancel their trip.
“At 11am, we filed a police report at KLIA regarding my husband being stopped and then released within an hour. Who was at fault here?
“At 1pm, the airline called, offering us standby seats for the 2pm flight, but at RM1,400 per person to Jakarta—far too expensive. We declined,” she further stated.
In an update, Irynn confirmed that her husband visited LHDN on February 24.
“My husband visited LHDN and spoke directly with the officer in charge. They acknowledged our concerns and assured us they would assist with the investigation.
“We appreciate all the support and messages we’ve received. We will continue to follow up and provide updates as needed.
“To err is human, to forgive is divine,” she wrote.
The post, which received over 2,400 likes, 2,700 shares, and 600 comments, sparked outrage among netizens.
One user called FyQa Kamarol Zaman commented: “My friend experienced the same issue before with LHDN. It turned out to be a false alarm, so nothing happened. Luckily, he was still able to board his flight, but the embarrassment and anxiety he went through left him traumatised.”
“Ridiculous!! You deserve an explanation and compensation,” Fin Xinhui wrote.
