The company appointed by the Immigration Department to carry out an e-processing system for foreign visa applications has defended its operations against claims of lax security. 

According to The Star, some 13,200 fo­­reigners had been "red-flagged" after they applied for their visas and entry permits into Malaysia online via the system operated by Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd. 

"It is mandatory for the system to check the names of all applicants against the Suspects’ List of the Immigration Department. Each name is run through nine times at different intervals within a day. 

"We will then alert the Immi­gra­tion Department of these 'not to land' red flags for further action," Ultra Kirana managing director Fadzil Ahmad was quoted saying by The Star. 

According to the report, the 13,200 individuals red-flagged were identified from a total of 3.9 million online applications from January to November this year. 

The 13,200 red flags also covered 6,193 applicants from China, inclu­ding a particular application exposed by Malay daily Harian Metro last week. 

Harian Metro, in its front page report, had detailed how it submitted an online application using the in­­for­mation of a passport holder from China by the name of Miao Tian, and attaching the monkey's headshot. 

In response, The Star quoted Fadzil who said that the particular application had triggered caution because the system had detected the name in the Suspects’ List. 

"The information was relayed to officers manning the nine airports and six land checkpoints. 

"However, the applicant did not make the trip to Malaysia. The ‘not to land’ advisory was not executed on the person because it could only be issued by an Immigration officer upon arrival at the entry points," he explained.

"(Ultra Kirana) UKSB’s online application system is not authorised to reject or approve applications from China because the visa requirement has been waived for this year," Fadzil further said. 

Monkey's photo 'altered'

Fadzil also defended Ultra Kirana's photo verification procedure, insisting that its special algorithm would correctly identify a person's face, eyes, nose, mouth and ears. 

"In Miao Tian’s application, we discovered that the monkey photo has been altered so that it can pass our photo-detection algorithm. 

"Actual monkey photos will not pass through our detection," he insisted. 

At the same time, Fadzil also reportedly reassured that the "red flag" alert would prevent a passenger's entry into Malaysia, even if there was a mistake with their photograph.  

Aside from the eVISA system, Ultra Kirana is also responsible for other online visa application systems, including the eNTRI visa waiver programme for tourists from China and India to enter Malaysia from Jan 1 to Dec 31 this year. 

Under this offer, Chinese and Indian tourists can apply for an eNTRI note, valid for a maximum 15 days single journey to Malaysia for the purpose of tourism. 

Ultra Kirana has operated the system through a five-year concession agreement signed with the Home Ministry in 2016. 

Ultra Kirana had reportedly pocketed all of RMB160 (RM100) paid for each visa waiver application, which can only be made online without channelling it to the government's coffers. 

Ultra Kirana was also implicated in overcharging Nepali workers who come to work in Malaysia. 

The Home Ministry has since pledged to take stern action against those responsible for the reported lax of security eNTRI system.