“Mistreatment due to language proficiency is not acceptable as there are better ways of managing any doubts over citizenship.

“It is unfortunate that officers, instead of discharging their duties, are taking it upon themselves to penalise citizens,” he said in a statement today.

The former MCA vice-president added that it was the officers’ duty to check the validity of the documents, not to bully or take punitive measures against people who could be victims of circumstances or situations.

“Some may not have received formal education. Are we going to punish them further instead of helping them?” he said, adding that there were many other ways to resolve the issue of a citizen’s inability to speak the national language.

“Immigration officers should not take it upon themselves to penalise or punish these defects.

“Furthermore, it is not required by law to be proficient in Malay to renew passports. It is also unconstitutional for the officers to act beyond their authority or powers,” he said.

Ti added that as Malay proficiency is only a legal requirement during application for citizenship, the authorities should not impose it on citizens and use it to deprive them of their rights.

“The home ministry’s focus on the importance of the Malay language is valid, given its status as the official language, but in doing so, we must also uphold the law and respect the rights of our citizens,” he said.

Ti also called on the government to ensure that “Little Napoleons” were not taking the law into their own hands.

“The government must ensure that officers follow the law and be held accountable to the procedures put in place,” he said.

A woman recently posted on social media that she had been mistreated by an immigration officer at the Johor UTC for her inability to speak Malay when renewing her daughter’s passport.