DPM confident visa-waiver programme will continue under Trump's office

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is confident that the new United States leadership under President Donald Trump will not affect the visa-waiver programme for Malaysia.

The visa-waiver initiative was implemented by the U.S. State Department and the inauguration of Trump recently would unlikely influence the policy.

However, Ahmad Zahid also said that, Malaysia has yet to meet one of the stipulated conditions programme which is rejection of application was less than three per cent.

At the moment, the rate of visa rejection for Malaysia stood at 3.7 per cent and Malaysia was confident of fulfilling the three per cent condition by September 2018.

“We are very positive that this programme will continue to be executed,” he said.

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“We also hope that the condition will be fulfilled and continue to be recognised to the new U.S. administration,” said Ahmad Zahid at the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) members from the Home Ministry Top Management Council held here today.

Prior to that, Ahmad Zahid had received a courtesy call from US Ambassador to Malaysia, Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, at his office here today.

This initiative is a collaboration by all quarters including the Internal Affairs Ministry and the consulate office with several awareness campaigns and talks organised for the benefit of Malaysian tourism agencies,” he said.

Malaysia expressed its desire to participate in the 'US Visa Waiver Programme' during talks between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the-then US President Barack Obama when he visited Malaysia in April 2014

The programme will enable Malaysians to enter and stay in the United States without a visa for a maximum of 90 days for tourism and business.

On other matters discussed at their meeting, Ahmad Zahid said Lakhdhir would return to Washington D.C to get an input on the new US policies and to meet all the newly appointed ambassadors.

Ahmad Zahid expressed optimism that the matters he had discussed with Lakhdhir would see continuation although President Trump would be introducing new policies.