PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has agreed that airlines are responsible for their passengers who are issued Not To Land (NTL) notices upon arrival at airports here, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
The decision was based on the Convention on International Civil Aviation established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Immigration Act, he said.
“So the Cabinet today agreed for the deportation process to be managed by airline companies without involving any third parties,” he said.
Airlines will be responsible for the welfare of these passengers, including their meals and return flight ticket, he added.
The matter was indicated in Article 5.9 under Chapter 5 of the Convention, he said.
The Convention states that: “The aircraft operator shall be responsible for the cost of custody and care of an improperly documented person from the moment that person is found inadmissible and returned to the aircraft operator for removal from the State.”
Saifuddin Nasution did not provide details on which provision in the Immigration Act that guided the Cabinet’s decision.
He also disclosed the top three countries of origin with the most number of passengers issued the NTL notice – Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
But he said only 0.37 per cent of passengers are issued the notice.
According to the minister, of the 3,984,823 visitors recorded as arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang from January to June this year, only 14,977 were issued the NTL.
Last Wednesday, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said that the agent who was suspected of soliciting bribes to resolve the case of a Chinese national who failed to meet immigration rules to enter Malaysia had worked in a company operating in the airport that was allowed to handle those who had been given an NTL notice.
On June 30, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing claimed a “culture of corruption” was rife among Immigration staff at KLIA Terminal 1 after he was accused of abusing his power to enter the arrival hall to help a visitor from China who was said to have been barred entry.
Tiong also claimed that Immigration officers demanded RM3,000 to release detained travellers, with an additional RM3,000 to be paid if the traveller wanted to return to his home country immediately.
