Fine/jail for unstamped passport in Malaysia - I dont understand!

[Priscilia]

There's a big discussion on this topic now. We've read of a few cases of our fellow Singaporeans being locked up for days (one even in his underwear cos you need to pay to wear their prison garb and that guy didn't have money then!). Now it's no more warning but jail for months and thousand $ fines.

What puzzles me so far is how the reports simply stated what had happened and at most how you should be careful about checking your passports before entering the checkpoint. They didn't mention HOW DID IT HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE??? Maybe it's a political thingy and they have to be careful about pointing fingers?

I find it plain lame that the immigration officer can overlook or forget to stamp the passport. We are not talking about a one-off case but now several of our Sporeans have been thru the nasty experience. And we are also not even talking about those jokers who have to stamp 100 passports at one go. How could they have missed it?

What do you all think? Is it an intentional act? You know, because of $ and corruption. If anything, I think the one who should be jailed and fined are the guilty immigration people. They failed in their jobs and increased the likelihood that illegal immigrants can enter Malaysia.

Somehow, I smell something more...

 

[quekky]

funny, the malaysia government commented that if going to malaysia by train no need to stamp, so by right still can go out of malaysia without a stamped passport

 

[redstorm]

Many of these immigration officers at the other side are very lax in their job. If u observe them carefully, if u drive back, u will notice that some of them don't even bother to scan your passport and immigration card. They just stamp on them and give back to you. Trying to speed up and clear the jam? I doubt so 'cos no matter how they still need to go thru the whole process of scanning them; jam or no jam. Plain lazy, I believe so. And, they even don' bother to check Malaysians leaving thru JB, Many a times, My cars just drive thru even without stopping. This way, My criminal or blacklisted ppl can escape into Sg.

 

[Gymrat76]

I'm quite disappointed by the immigration officials in Malaysia. I remember 2-3 years ago, during CNY, my wife and I took the coach to KL. The queue was so long and the Autogate for Malaysian passports was not working. The official at the counter just asked all Malaysians with Malaysian passports to hold them up and waved us through without even looking at the passports. Talk about lax border control.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

they should let us DIY. den they oni need a few security personel at d end of d Q. those staff r waste their tax payers' $$! :thumbsd:

 

[AReality]

U all never been to the land checkpoint between Malaysia & Thailand?

I remembered a few yrs ago, I had to approach the Thai immigration to get my passport stamped. Else can just walk past...


.

 

[snowspeeder]

Some things just don't change. What modernization?

 

[night86mare]

well we just all have to be careful
to be brutally realistic, your passport no chop and kena caught
the immigration officer who didn't do it no lugi
YOU LUGI!=D

 

[xtemujin]

This is not new, it does not matter as Singaporeans will still flock to go to Malaysia.

Just look at the camera at the causeway this Chinese New Year holidays. The causeway will be jam packed with Singaporeans heading to Malaysia.

Singaporean is like the Duracell bunny, whether the passport is not stamped, being robbed or beaten, we'll still keep coming to Malaysia.

Selamat Datang ke Malaysia.

 

[photofreek]

well we just all have to be careful
to be brutally realistic, your passport no chop and kena caught
the immigration officer who didn't do it no lugi
YOU LUGI!=D

agreed.

 

[melnjes]

The way I see it, yes it is our responsibility to check that our passports get stamped wherever we go.

However, there must be some "incentive" for the immigration officers to do their job i.e. random checks should be done on these officers and these officers be punished if they are found to be lax.

I mean, they are getting paid for doing their job right?

 

[Sion]

Singaporean is like the Duracell bunny, whether the passport is not stamped, being robbed or beaten, we'll still keep coming to Malaysia.

Where can you suggest we go?

Helsinki?

:bsmilie:

 

[kcuf2]

Do u know that one of the time when i pass thru the customs to msia, the singapore customs never check all the bags of everyone there and then. Then when i reach msia and after stamping, they also never check the bags.

And do u know wats the best thing? Their security police are not present there. Other times when i went there and the security police are there, they are busy standing arnd and chit chatting. And most of the time, there are only a miserable 2 police officers.

The customs there are really very lax...

 

[redstone]

What if travelling by train? :dunno:

 

[the mac 13]

Do u know that one of the time when i pass thru the customs to msia, the singapore customs never check all the bags of everyone there and then. Then when i reach msia and after stamping, they also never check the bags.

And do u know wats the best thing? Their security police are not present there. Other times when i went there and the security police are there, they are busy standing arnd and chit chatting. And most of the time, there are only a miserable 2 police officers.

The customs there are really very lax...

Malaysian police got airbag one. Built in on their body!

 

[Ichibawa]

I feel its the passport bearer's responsibility to counter check if their passport is being stampped. I have been travelling all these while and notice that Sg people who are caught in such situation tend to have a wrong perception of the outside world. Sometimes people took for granted on the safety net that the gov have instill on us. When they go out of this safety zone, they are kind of like vulnerable to every threat. Eg. you can go to a money changer and count the money as you leave in Sg. Try doing that in other countries.

 

[stonefish35]

a few yrs back on a dive trip to Msia, I was stopped at the immigration and called into a room at the msian side. They claimed that my last visit to Msia ( the previous mth ) , they told me to change my passport photo and this trip, I still did not get it changed. Funny thing was, there wasn't any visible indication on my passport that they told me to change. Dun think they will record it in their komputer.

My fault was that, the trip was a last min trip, hence, really my fault not to get it changed. But, do the Msian authorities have the authority to ask me to change my passport photo ? the most is that they just refuse my entry and ask me to turn back lor.

The officer began to ask what was my occupation.... which I took it to mean he's hinting at some kopi $$. TOld he i was a student, which was true at that pt of time. Then he just said ok, just change your photo when you get back to spore.

Just dun get caught in situations whereby you can potential get ripped off, or face jail terms. Or, just head further north for cheap shopping and food. :bsmilie:

 

[ricohflex]

You innocent newspaper readers.

It is about money. It is ALWAYS about money.
The forgetting to stamp is not an accident.

But it is true that the Sing citizen has himself/ferself to blame for not bothering to check.

When returning, it is then up to the immi guy to name his price.

 

[Bluestrike]

well .. let not go into more of this....

Case closed.