Actress suspects immigration power abuse over kids' passports
Celebrity Zahnita Wilson suspects abuse of power in the Immigration Department, after new passports were issued to her children despite the children's valid travel documents still in her possession.
The new passports were believed to be issued, through her estranged husband who later took the two children to Phuket, Thailand without Zahnita’s knowledge, she said.
“Why were new passports issued so easily even though there were no reports that the passports were missing?” she asked at a press conference today.
The press conference was hosted by the Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) in Kuala Lumpur, after Zahnita complained about it to the NGO.
Accrding to PPIM activist Mazlinda Abu Bakar, the NGO has tried to get an explanation from the department but was told to refer the matter to higher management.
She claimed Zahnita was given a written guarantee that the children’s father will be arrested when he brings the children back into Malaysia, but this did not happen, Mazlinda said.
The children were taken to Phuket on Dec 2, and returned a week after.
“I believe there has been abuse of power. The immigration director should investigate this matter,” Mazlinda said.
Zahnita and her husband are in the process of getting a divorce, with custody of the children yet to be determined by the Syariah Court.
She said she only knew her children were taken out of the country when they called her from Thailand.
She said she is publicising the issue because it shows loopholes in which human trafficking can happen.
Malaysiakini has contacted the Immigration Department for a response.
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