Yee Tsai Yiew
KOTA KINABALU: There is a need for a thorough overhaul of the country’s Immigration Department to save Malaysia’s image from further scarring, said Parti Bersatu Sabah Api-Api Division Information Chief Yee Tsai Yiew.
Commenting on a recent incident of alleged extortion involving a Chinese tourist who was detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), she said it was timely that the department undergo a significant and comprehensive reform
“Any unpleasant incidents that mar the experience of tourists, particularly at our country’s entry points, are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation. It brings a bad name to our country, and affects our tourism industry,” she said in a statement today.
Apart from urging authorities to conduct a fair and thorough investigation on the incident as a move to restore the confidence amongst international visitors, Yiew, who is also the Secretary of the Young Entrepreneurs Committee of Malaysia-China Chinese Chamber of Commerce (Sabah Chapter), also proposed several strategies to improve Malaysia’s airport immigration process to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
“The Immigration Department should extend the application of facial recognition systems to all international visitors, instead of limiting it to long-term passes travellers, to facilitate clearance process, and place additional personnel during peak travel periods to alleviate congestion issues to simplify and improve the immigration procedures,” she said.
She also proposed interpreters or multilingual staff, especially at the Immigration counters, to provide assistance to foreign travellers facing language barriers, which helps reduce misunderstandings.
“In addition, Immigration Department must address the transparency issue throughout their processes by explaining any delays or additional requirements, and establish a clear mechanism for complaint resolution to provide convenience for international tourists.
“Comprehensive training must be provided to immigration officers, including courses on cultural sensitivity, public relations, and foreign languages as well as regular reviews of the conduct of immigration officers to prevent improper behaviour and ensure the effective implementation of these changes.”
She stressed this is crucial to ensure that proper protocols are in place and that frontline tourism personnel adhere to the highest standards of professionalism.
