UK and Malaysian government in visa ruling talks

The respective governments of Britain and Malaysia are currently discussing the issue of visa requirements for Malaysian citizens who are entering the UK. The British Home Office has been seeking to implement the new procedure, much to the consternation of Malaysian authorities.

Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman, the director general of the Malaysian Immigration Department claimed that the thinking of the UK government was based on the actions of a minority of Malaysians that had made transgressions – referring to several cases of overstaying – and that imposing new regulations was unfair to others.

Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said in a statement that any act of overstaying was a transgression of international law and applies in every country, and that singling out Malaysia for special restrictions was discriminatory. He said that it would be unjust to ask for visas to be provided based on the actions of a few.

In October, the Home Office labelled Malaysia as one of 10 countries that were perceived as having high risk nationals. The list was made up of mainly African or Muslim nations.

It is believed that there are currently around 50,000 Malaysian residents in the UK with an estimated 20,000 on tourist or student visas or remaining inside the country illegally. The exact breakdown has not been specified.

Abdul Rahman further added that he did not wish for his comments to be taken as an insult in any way and that they were based solely on the Home Offices’ declaration. He reaffirmed his claims that Malaysians must uphold and respect the local laws of every country, not just Britain.