KLIA incident: MACC to probe minister's graft claims

The MACC is investigating the corruption allegations made by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing regarding immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, meanwhile, urged the public to refrain from speculation.

“Regarding allegations of corruption by the tourism, arts and culture minister, MACC will investigate the matter. 

“We will obtain information from all parties and investigate accordingly. 

“Therefore, we urge the public not to sensationalise or speculate on this matter,” Azam (above) told Malaysiakini.

On Thursday, BebasNews reported that a minister allegedly broke safety protocols and barged past immigration counters to “rescue” a tourist under detention by authorities.

Tiong admitted he was the one implicated in the report but said his “rescue” of the woman exposed corruption among officials in KLIA and that the Chinese national was not the first to receive such treatment when arriving in Malaysia.

He claimed some immigration officers would demand bribes of up to RM3,000 from detained tourists in order to be released and sent back to their home countries.

The minister then urged MACC to investigate the matter, adding that he would provide the necessary information to the graft buster.

Alert from consulate staff

Tiong’s statement did not reveal the identity of the woman he assisted.

However, The Star quoted him saying she is an employee of a Chinese government-owned TV station, who arrived in Malaysia with her superior.

The Star reported that the superior, a senior official, was cleared at the immigration line and requested assistance from the Consulate General of Malaysia in Guangzhou after her colleague was denied entry.

Tiong was quoted as saying that he received a call from a consulate staff on the incident, after which he contacted the MACC and together, they went to KLIA at around 3am today.

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Malaysia said it was checking with relevant parties for further information about the incident.

“We have noticed relevant news reports and are checking with relevant parties for further information.

“The Chinese Embassy in Malaysia attaches great importance and makes every effort to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Malaysia,” said a spokesperson.

The Immigration Department, in a statement, said it has begun investigations into the incident.

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