Deputy Chief Minister of Penang P Ramasamy has chided an immigration officer for behaving rudely towards a man who sought a social visit pass extension for his pregnant Indonesian wife.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, the DAP lawmaker said that he will also be writing to the Immigration Department to see that the woman was given a remedy and for the officer involved to be taken to task.

According to news reports, the woman's husband - a 23-year-old technician who only wanted to be known as Albert - had gone to the Immigration Department to apply for the extension.

The woman's pass expires next Monday but she was unfit to travel to Indonesia due to her being eight-and-a-half months pregnant.

Albert had produced a letter from a government hospital to certify his wife was not fit to travel.

The woman had reportedly been traveling to Medan almost every month to renew her short-term social visit pass since her work permit here expired in February.

Not only was Albert turned away but the officer had rudely told him to send her back on a boat, he was quoted saying.

Seberang Prai Municipal Council councillor K Jason Raj held a press conference on the issue this morning.

Raj said he was with Albert and his wife at the immigration office yesterday but was accused by the same immigration officer of abusing his position as councillor for helping the couple.

Raj has lodged a police report against the said officer.

Why so rude?

Responding to this, Ramasamy said he will be including this incident in his letter to the Immigration Department.

"The priority is to provide the poor woman a visa for until after she gives birth.

"And then an investigation should be launched against the officer. I mean, what he did was shocking. Where are his concerns and humanitarian values?

"It is unbecoming of him or any civil servant for that matter, to have behaved in such a way. We cannot afford to have civil servants like this in the New Malaysia," he said when contacted.

He added that the officer, even if he was not in a position to help out, could have put it in a nice way instead of resorting to verbal abuse.