PUTRAJAYA: A total of 50,769 foreigners have been refused entry into the country since April this year when the borders were opened to international arrivals, Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said.
Of the total, 40 per cent were blacklisted and returned to their country of origin through the department's recalibration programme which ended at the end of last year.
He said the foreigners had tried to re-enter the country guised as tourists. Upon inspection, they did not comply with entry conditions such as not having a place to stay and insufficient money for their expenses.
He said these foreigners, comprising Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Indonesians enter the country to work illegally.
"They were refused entry under the Immigration Act 1959/63," he told reporters after launching the Autogate facility for Long Term Pass holders at KLIA today.
Starting today, the department is managing the entry of foreigners into Malaysia through the extension of the Autogate facility to Long Term Pass holders, which were before only for the use of Malaysian citizens.
Foreigners, who are Long Term Pass holders, are given the option to use the Autogate facility every time they exit and enter the country.
As at Nov 15, a total of 1,910 Long Term Pass holders have used the Autogate facility since it was first Implemented on a pilot basis at the KL International Airport on September 16.
Khairul Dzaimee said 1.8 million Temporary Work Visit Pass holders (PLKS) and Long Term Visit Pass holders of various categories are also expected to use the facility.
There are 1.3 million PLKS holders, 169,263 Citizen Spouse Passes, 68,012 Student Passes, 14,046 Resident Passes, 52,932 MM2H, 12,335 Professional Visit Passes (PLIK), 9,345 Dependents of Social Visit Passes (PLS), 91,198 Employment Passes and 77,445 other Passes under the supervision of the Expatriate Services Division.
He said, the implementation of the facility is one of the department's ongoing commitments to improve the management of foreigners entering the country as well as help reduce congestion at KLIA.
Since the country's borders opened last April 1, Singaporeans make up 60 per cent of foreign entry into the country, following by Indonesians, Thais, Indians and mainland Chinese.
Khairul Dzaimee said the Long Term Pass Autogate facility is subject to foreigners who meet criteria such as having a passport containing a chip and complying with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and have a valid Long Term Pass.
Foreigners who have been issued a Long Term Pass can continue to use this facility without the need of any registration process and Permitted Long Term Passes include Resident Pass, Employment Pass, Student Pass, Professional Visit Pass, Temporary Work Visit Pass, Premium Visa Pass, MM2H, Social Visit Pass (Long-Term).
He said Long Term Pass holders, who do not meet the above criteria, need to use the manual counter service as usual.
"We also plans to expand this system in our border with Singapore by the end of the year," he said.
