Malaysia to continue visa on arrival; Indians not to benefit

Visa on Arrival (VOA) boosts the country's tourism industry, Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop told Parliament, adding the government had its ways to overcome security issues arising from the misuse of the facility.

"When it comes to national security we know how to respond, like suspending the VOA facility for certain countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, as many of their nationals flout the facility," he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

Indians were entitled to this facility till the government scrapped it for them, claiming that many of them had overstayed.

The minister's remarks follow recent reports from Dubai that Indian nationals, who had residency visas in another country, could avail the VOA facility at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Abu Seman said from 2006 till Aug 2009, 75,462 persons out of 271,391 people issued visas on arrival had overstayed.

He said the Immigration Department constantly carried out spot-checks on the addresses that foreigners provided when they registered for an entry pass.

VOA is a social pass that allows visitors to be in the country for a period between 14 days and three months.

The minister said that most of the visitors who overstayed were those who entered the country through a VOA.