KUALA LUMPUR: An Inspection and Consultation Paper (KPP) has been opened into the corruption and abuse of power allegations involving Immigration officers, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) said that the matter is still being investigated by the the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
"According to subsection 29(4) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, developments regarding the investigation process cannot be disclosed to any parties," she said.
Azalina said this on Wednesday (Oct 25) in a parliamentary written reply in response to a question from Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut).
Che Mohamad Zulkifly had asked the government to give the latest update on the investigation into the allegations made by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing earlier this year.
Tiong was reported to have said that he had to step in to help an employee of a China-based media company after Immigration officers held her up at KLIA on her arrival from Shenzhen on Thursday (June 29).
The woman alleged that although her travel documents were in order, she was denied entry by Immigration officers.
She alleged that she was asked to pay several thousand ringgit if she wanted to be allowed entry.
Azalina said that the government will always emphasize and strive to improve on the existing practices and governance to ensure the smooth arrival of tourists at the country's entry points.
"This is also in line with the unity government's aim to put Malaysia in the top 25 spot in the world in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and to continually boost efforts to combat corruption in the country," she added.
