Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh said this counters allegations by certain parties that the visa liberalisation plan would lead to the laxation and simplification of procedures for foreign tourists entering Malaysia.

“Under this plan, the process of entering Malaysia and existing SOPs will be implemented, (with) no change,” he told reporters after observing the immigration department’s operations at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 arrival hall here today.

The procedures, among others, require tourists entering Malaysia to possess return flight tickets and hotel reservations, or a place to stay throughout their visit.

Ruslin said the department had also established a special team, comprising 25 enforcement personnel, to monitor the entry and departure of tourists.

“This special team will present a report every fortnight to ensure tourists remain in Malaysia based on the validity of their visas, either 30 days or 60 days,” he said.

On Nov 27, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the visa liberalisation plan would be strengthened with integrated security and enforcement measures by enforcement agencies, including monitoring the departure of tourists from China and India.

This aligns with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement last Sunday that the government would allow 30-day visa-free travel for visitors from China and India to Malaysia from today.

The initiatives under the visa liberalisation plan include the provision of 30-day multiple entry visas to all tourists wanting to visit Malaysia, and social visit passes for periods of up to 12 months for international students who have completed their studies in Malaysia who want to tour or work part-time.