KOTA KINABALU: Travellers to Malaysia are advised to adhere to regulations under the Immigration Act, including compliance with Not to Land (NTL) notices and the cooling-off periods.
Sabah Immigration Department director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof warned that failure to comply with these requirements could result in deportation.
This follows a report about an Australian couple, John Joseph Gorton, 78, and his wife Noel Gail Gorton, 80, who claimed they were detained at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport Immigration area without proper explanation upon arrival on Nov 17.The couple said they had planned to return to their rented home in Sabah after a month-long trip outside the state for business and visa renewal purposes.
John, who had been running a rental apartment business in Sabah for nearly 10 years, said they returned to Malaysia to close their business operations.
He claimed that they re-entered the country using a “new requirement” for a valid Malaysian Digital Arrival Card.
John also alleged that an Immigration officer, who held the rank of deputy supervisor or director, was rude to them when they tried to explain their situation and seek clarification on why they were not allowed to enter Sabah.He further claimed that their passports were stamped as “forbidden immigrants”.
In response, Sh Sitti Saleha clarified that investigations showed the couple had been issued an NTL notice on Oct 25 and had been informed of the 30-day cooling off period, yet they returned on Nov 17.
She explained that travellers who do not comply with the 30-day cooling off period would be issued an NTL notice and are required to return to their last point of departure.
The airline that brought them to Sabah would be responsible for returning them to their previous destination, Sh Sitti Saleha said.
She also revealed that their flight records indicated that the couple’s return tickets to their country of origin had been cancelled on Oct 17, prior to their arrival in Sabah on Nov 17.
She warned the public against spreading defamatory information, stating that the department would take appropriate action against individuals who continue to do so.
