Pregnant foreign wife turned away at Malaysian border

By Nina Muslim

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2  -- A seven-month pregnant Chinese national married to a Malaysian living in Singapore has been barred from entering Malaysia and now risk deportation back to her country.

The letter refusing entry to the 27-year old woman, who asked to be known as Mrs Yong, stated the rejection was done under Section 8 (3) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963.

The Malaysian husband, who asked to be identified as Yong, said the refusal of entry on Monday (Nov 30) at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bukit Chagar has put the couple in a quandary as his wife cannot stay for long in Singapore. 

“Previously, she was working in Singapore holding a work permit but due to Singaporean rules and regulations, (non-Malaysian) foreign workers cannot deliver in this country. Since she’s pregnant, the work permit had to be cancelled,” he told Bernama in a phone interview.

Yong said he could not sponsor her as a dependent on his employment pass because, as a store manager, he did not meet the minimum fixed monthly salary requirement of S$6,000.

Neither can he accompany her across the border, as he did not want to risk losing his job as he would have to be gone for a month due to quarantine requirements.

After she was turned away at the border, Singapore issued her a 14-day special pass to stay in the country. Upon expiry, she will have to leave or be deported.

Yong, who hails from Kluang, Johor, said Malaysia was their best hope not to be separated and to ensure the safety of their unborn child as his wife would not have to travel very far to be with his family, who will be taking care of her. 

He said his wife had all the requisite documents for entry, including MyTravelPass permission to enter, a Letter of Undertaking guaranteeing payment of COVID-19 quarantine costs and their marriage certificate, which they registered with the Malaysian government. 

He added that his wife did not have a Long-Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP), however, saying his wife planned to apply for it once she was in Malaysia.

Immigration Department of Visa, Pass and Permit Director Dr Syahmi @ Muhammad Syahmi Jaafar said not having a LTSVP should not be a reason to deny the woman or any other foreign spouses entry should they have permission.

“It’s a rare case to reject foreign spouses,” he said, adding the government was trying hard to help Malaysians to reunite with their foreign family members. 

He said he would investigate what happened while also expressing confidence in his officers. 

Malaysia has tightened its entry restrictions since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign spouses without the LTSVP, or spouse visa, have been affected especially as they were not allowed to enter until August, when the government allowed foreign spouses and children without the LTSVP.

Recently, the government eased restrictions further to allow in foreign spouses from 23 banned countries.

Section 8 (3) of the Immigration Act of 1959/1963 lists a variety of prohibited immigrants, including those who cannot support themselves, with a criminal record, suffering from mental illness and planning to overthrow the government. 

-- BERNAMA