Ready to return: John and Noel during a work visit in Sri Lanka recently
KOTA KINABALU: An Australian couple, who have spent 10 years in Sabah but was denied entry last week, will be allowed to re-enter once the Not-To-Land (NTL) notice issued to them expires, says state Immigration director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof.
“It is to be stressed that the Australian couple were issued a denial of entry notice because they did not comply with the procedures and laws under the Immigration Act,” she said.
She said there was no misunderstanding about the case.
“This couple can re-enter Malaysia after the required 30-day cooling-off period ends,” she said when contacted.
John Joseph Gorton, 78, and his wife Noel Gail Gorton, 80, landed at Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Nov 17 from Manila but were put on a flight back to the Philippines the next day.
Sitti explained yesterday that the couple was first issued with the NTL on Oct 25 and that the notice, together with their passports, was handed to the airline they boarded on that same day.
“This NTL code notice was also given to the couple and endorsed at the back of their passports. So they are well aware of this NTL notice,” she said.
She said the Denial of Entry notice is only valid for 30 days.
“Once it expires, they can come back to Malaysia if they fulfil all terms and conditions, as well as laws of the country.
“These terms would include a proof of valid return tickets to their country of origin, and they are not under the blacklisted people category,” said Sitti, but she warned that they will be if they repeat the immigration offence.
Noel, when contacted, said she was unaware she and her husband could return to Sabah once the 30-day cooling-off period ends.
She also claimed she had no knowledge of why they were issued the NTL.
However, she said they look forward to returning to Sabah and they were excited to take on charity and tourism activities in the state.
