SEREMBAN: An Israeli citizen entered Malaysia using a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport on Oct 15, said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

Khairul Dzaimee explained that the individual, who goes by the name of Nas Daily or his real name Nuseir Yassin, held two citizenships namely Israel and the Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

"The individual entered and exited Malaysia using the same passport (Saint Kitts and Nevis) and is understood to have entered Singapore using an Israeli passport.

"He (the individual) did not have any offences under Immigration regulations, therefore permission to enter (the country) on a tourist visa was given upon his arrival using a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport," he told reporters after attending the 3P (Penempatan, Pekerjaan dan Pendapatan) programme or Placement, Employment and Income programme, organised by the Prisons Department.

The programme was launched by Home Ministry (KDN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz at Pusat Reintegrasi Penghuni (PRP) Mantin. It was also attended by Prisons director-general Datuk Nordin Muhamad.

Khairul Dzaimee, when commenting on the viralled video on TikTok relating to Israeli citizen Nas Daily entering the country, said: "Actually, he did not use an Israeli passport as if he did, he would not have been allowed to enter the country as Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel."

Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said the 3P programme is especially for foreign inmates who are eligible to be placed under the PRP for employment.

He said the income received from the job will be used to meet the daily needs of the foreign inmates and then for their repatriation to their country of origin.

"This programme started in July on a pilot project basis for 16 Indonesian inmates. The number of foreign inmates who are currently in prison number nearly 12,000.

"For those foreign inmates, they will gain skills and income that can help them return to their home country sooner and without having to go through detention by immigration (authorities)," he also said.

Wan Ahmad Dahlan added that this synergy has a positive impact on all parties, including reducing congestion in prisons and Immigration detention depots.

-- BERNAMA