The Home Ministry will investigate concerns about foreigners illegally running businesses across the country.
During his closing remarks on the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Nov 7), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail pledged to collaborate with relevant authorities to address the issue.
Saifuddin also dispelled worries that over a million Chinese nationals who had overstayed might attempt to gain citizenship, clarifying that only 103 Chinese nationals have been granted citizenship since 2013—and solely due to their marriages to Malaysians.
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During his closing remarks on the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Nov 7), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail pledged to collaborate with relevant authorities to address the issue.
Saifuddin also dispelled worries that over a million Chinese nationals who had overstayed might attempt to gain citizenship, clarifying that only 103 Chinese nationals have been granted citizenship since 2013—and solely due to their marriages to Malaysians.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/48pss2b2
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
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NewsTranscript
00:00Aliyah Mohamad also asked about 1.2 million Chinese tourists who came in but did not go out.
00:08Okay, a number of Chinese tourists came in and then overstayed and so on.
00:12Today I want to explain where this 1.2 million came from.
00:16When Larut became Minister of the Interior, he answered a question from Tasik Lugo at that time.
00:23He said, the question was about 1.2 million.
00:28That was the beginning.
00:30That is an old legacy.
00:32Then, Larut said in a media statement,
00:36Larut said in a media statement,
00:39August 26, 2022,
00:41the number is not correct.
00:46Larut, not me.
00:48The head of the bank said that 1.2 million is not correct.
00:51The media.
00:53Ask the head of the bank, Larut.
00:56Don't ask me.
00:57Larut, wait a second.
00:59It's okay, sit down.
01:01I said, August 22, 2022,
01:05the Minister of the Interior said,
01:07the number is not correct, said the Minister of the Interior, Dato Sri Hamzah Zanuddin.
01:11It's not just him.
01:13Even before that, he stood up.
01:15And even Pagoh made the same statement.
01:18Sit there first.
01:21Then, there was an explanation from the Director of Immigration at that time.
01:25The number, he said,
01:27was only 8,000.
01:29He mentioned it here.
01:31Okay, today I want to explain.
01:33Okay.
01:35We,
01:38when tourists enter,
01:40they enter with a special pass.
01:43Social Security Pass.
01:45Okay.
01:46They also enter with other passports.
01:52That's clear.
01:53But,
01:54I want to explain.
01:55Many people in Kota Bharu ask,
01:57how many people enter and don't leave.
02:00I want to explain.
02:01The arrival from January 1, 2018 until November 30,
02:05tourists from the People's Republic of China.
02:078,461,653.
02:13Okay, the release is out.
02:158,012,294.
02:17What's the difference?
02:19479,359.
02:22Let's zoom in on this number.
02:24Out of 479,359,
02:28there was an active long-term passport holder.
02:31He entered with a long-term passport.
02:34He didn't leave.
02:36The total was 129,005 people.
02:39Okay.
02:40He was also in the Immigration Detention Depot.
02:42We arrested him.
02:43We arrested him.
02:44He had an immigration or passport violation.
02:47That's the total.
02:48We arrested him.
02:495,359.
02:51Because he committed a certain violation.
02:53A special pass has been issued.
02:55Special pass means,
02:56he entered for 30 days,
02:57visa free.
02:59He didn't leave on the 31st.
03:01But he got a special pass request.
03:03According to the current law,
03:05a person who entered,
03:07can still request a special pass.
03:09This is the same rule.
03:10The passport remains the same.
03:12The passport remains the same.
03:13Even now, I remain the same.
03:15He can request a special pass
03:17for 30 days,
03:1830 days,
03:1930 days.
03:20A maximum of 90 days.
03:22The total is 141,783.
03:26So,
03:27the special pass that hasn't been issued,
03:3084,817.
03:34Out of a total of 8,491,653.
03:4184,000 are still there.
03:43Alright.
03:44We want to mention,
03:45we have a Malaysian Digital Arrival Card,
03:47where they can fill in the information.
03:50This allows our authorities
03:52to enter and search for them.
03:55Okay.
03:56Then,
03:57this list of names,
03:58we leave it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
04:01When I visited China,
04:02I brought up this issue.
04:05My minister of foreign affairs told me,
04:07even if his people leave,
04:09even if he breaks the laws of his country,
04:12he can still take action.
04:14Our action is one,
04:16which is the blacklist.
04:17It's possible.
04:18Okay.
04:19So,
04:20let's stop this 1.2 million
04:22because
04:23even the head of the opposition said it's not true.
04:25There's no need to drag it out.
04:27So,
04:28what's terrible?
04:291.2 million didn't come out.
04:31The KDN passed the citizens illegally.
04:34That's a very terrible slander.
04:37Very terrible.
04:38It's better to stop it.
04:40Okay, let me share.
04:41How many citizens of China did we give?
04:44During the Pagoh,
04:45Larut,
04:46my time,
04:47and Semerung's time before that.
04:50I saw all the records.
04:52Including the time of the Dato'
04:54Dato' in the country,
04:55Semerung in the country,
04:56Pagoh,
04:57Larut,
04:58and me.
04:59Today,
05:00the number of citizens of China
05:02that we gave to the citizens
05:04according to Article 15.1 of the Covenant
05:08103 people.
05:10103, not 1.2 million.
05:14103.
05:18Secondly,
05:19what we gave to the citizens of China,
05:21we gave to the citizens of Malaysia
05:23under Category 19.1.
05:2619.1 means the husband of a foreigner
05:29married a local woman.
05:3215.1 means the wife of a foreigner
05:35married the husband of a local person.
05:3719.1 is the number of citizens of China
05:39that we gave to the citizens of the country.
05:41100 people.
05:42That's the number since 2013.
05:47This is a lie.
05:49Giving the citizens of the country a lie.
05:51Playing with sentiment.
05:52That's why when the report was made,
05:54playing with sentiment.
05:55We know.
05:56I have a number of police reports.
05:59Which leader played this issue outside,
06:01in the mosque,
06:02in the surau?
06:03That's why the police opened the investigation
06:05under Category 3.
06:06Without responsibility.
06:08Playing with sentiment.
06:09Because this is China.
06:11He played there.
06:13Now let the data speak.
06:15I say it clearly.
06:17First, 1.2 million,
06:19Pagos himself said,
06:21Larut also said,
06:22that's not true.
06:24Because what came in here,
06:26it came in with various types of PAS.
06:28PAS for history,
06:29PAS for students,
06:30PAS for long-term,
06:32all types of PAS that were named
06:34according to the Immigration Act.
06:35The same act that I enforced.
06:38Today,
06:39when I went abroad,
06:40I left the country.
06:41Okay.
06:42That's the story of 1.2 million
06:44and the citizens of China.
06:46Perfect. Do you want to stand up?
06:47You don't have to stand up.
06:48Stand up. Okay.
06:50Thank you, Mr. Minister,
06:52for talking about
06:55Chinese tourists.
06:57I also rose up in my speech.
06:59When I mentioned,
07:00it's not about the number,
07:01but in terms of their status.
07:03Because I noticed in my area,
07:05for example, in Sempurna,
07:06they are stuck.
07:07Even though they are recognized as tourists,
07:09but they become businessmen.
07:11And I have asked for cooperation
07:13from not only local officials,
07:15but also from the Immigration Department
07:18to take a firm action
07:20so that they don't only harm
07:22the existing businesses.
07:24This is what I repeatedly said in the parliament.
07:26But maybe those who respect,
07:28it's not about the number,
07:29but the actions,
07:30so that we can solve this problem.
07:32We don't want the voice in the parliament
07:34to be heard,
07:35but it's still around.
07:36Thank you very much.
07:38Thank you, Mr. Sempurna.
07:40I can only emphasize
07:42what happened in Sempurna.
07:43Indeed, in our observation,
07:45in our radar,
07:47of course,
07:49it's not only under the agency
07:51of the KDN.
07:52As you know,
07:53there are functions at the state level,
07:55local government, and so on.
07:56So,
07:58this must be the overall authority
08:00from us.
08:02Alright.