Foreigners who make damaging statements risk having passes revoked - Immigration DG

Foreign nationals who make inaccurate statements aim at damaging Malaysia's image will face possible revocation of their passes, said Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

"The Immigration Department strongly warns all foreigners especially the long-term pass holders such as Student Pass, Temporary Employment Pass, Residence Pass and others to be careful when making any statement.

"They are facing the risk of revocation of their passes and will be required to leave the country immediately if the statement is inaccurate and aimed at damaging Malaysia's image," he told Bernama.

He said this when asked to comment on a documentary entitled "Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown" produced by Al Jazeera.

Khairul Dzaimee said the documentary on the immigration operations during the Movement Control Order that the international news agency described as racism and inhuman was inaccurate as they ignored the facts.

He said during the operations conducted along Jalan Masjid India on May 1, a total of 3,352 immigrants were inspected, but only 586 individuals were detained for further investigation.

"The Malaysian government has also provided treatment to 773 foreigners in the Immigration depot who were tested positive for COVID-19 free of charge, and there were foreign embassies praising the action and thanked us," he said.

Al Jazeera recently broadcast the 25-minute documentary entitled "Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown" that alleged Malaysia discriminated against illegal immigrants when it took steps to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

Yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the allegations were baseless as Malaysia introduced the Movement Control Order to save everybody from COVID-19, regardless of the nationality.

-- BERNAMA