KL Immigration to probe alleged irregularities in special pass issuance

KUALA LUMPUR, October 17 — The Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department announced it will probe allegations of irregularities in the issuance of special passes, according to a statement by its director, Datuk Hamsha Injau. The Integrity Division will investigate to ascertain the validity of the claims and stated that no misconduct would be tolerated. Injau advised the public to exclusively interact with the department via official channels and discouraged the use of unauthorized intermediaries.

Reports indicated that special passes, designed to help foreign nationals in emergencies or urgent situations, are being improperly used to prolong their stay in Malaysia. The allegations suggested that a system involving local intermediaries was in place. These intermediaries allegedly handled applications, collected applicants' passports, and transmitted their photographs to immigration officers via messaging apps for initial verification.

The allegations were reported by a news portal, but no additional details or confirmation of the claims were provided by the Immigration Department.