Immigration denies travel ban on activist, clarifies restriction limited to Sabah entry
KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department today denied imposing any travel restrictions on an individual who claimed he was barred from leaving the country on June 6, as reported by several news portals and circulated on social media.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban clarified that no exit ban had been enforced, but a restriction on entry into Sabah remains in effect pursuant to a directive from the state authorities.
'The department acknowledges the confusion arising from discrepancies between the Malay and English versions of the travel status check system on the department's official website,' he said in a statement today.
He clarified that the confusion arose from the department's English-language portal, which is currently being updated and has been temporarily taken offline.
'The department is conducting an internal technical review to ensure the accuracy and consistency of information across all language versions to prevent any confusion,' the statement added.
Zakaria emphasised that the department remains committed to discharging its duties under the law, guided by the principles of transparency and professionalism in service delivery.
While the statement did not identify the individual, it follows recent claims by activist and freelance graphic designer Fahmi Reza, who questioned the transparency of the department's travel restriction system.
Fahmi alleged that a recent travel status check on the Immigration Department's website returned the message 'please refer to the nearest Immigration Office,' which he interpreted as an active travel ban.
He further claimed that the English version of the website showed 'no restriction,' while the Malay version advised him to consult the Immigration office.
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