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Foreign visitors to Malaysia must now have return flight tickets

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian government has made it compulsory for all foreign visitors to have a return ticket or a flight out of the country in a bid to stem the number of illegal immigrants.

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian government has made it compulsory for all foreign visitors to have a return ticket or a flight out of the country in a bid to stem the number of illegal immigrants.

Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi confirmed the move to Channel NewsAsia. He told the Senate on Wednesday (Dec 10) that this was to prevent tourists overstaying in the Southeast Asian nation.

“Yes, (they need) a ticket and (enough) money for the period of their stay in Malaysia just to ensure that the visitor has a means to sustain him or herself — and a ticket to leave the country,” said Mr Wan Junaidi.

The move comes as the country’s Immigration Department reportedly pledged Malaysia would be free of illegal immigrants by 2020. According to government estimates, there are currently almost 2.5 million illegal immigrants in the country.

When asked if this would apply to visitors arriving by bus, train or ship as well, Mr Wan Junaidi said: “Workers generally arrive by plane, not through port or train. Anyway, the principle of having a return ticket and money to sustain oneself in the country should apply.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA

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