Claims that 1.2 million Chinese nationals still in the country untrue – Home Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 – Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has clarified that the recent claims alleging that 1.2 million Chinese tourists entered Malaysia and failed to leave is false, as the accurate figure is 84,817 Chinese nationals currently in the country on social visit passes.

He explained that from Jan 1, 2018, to the present, Malaysia has welcomed 8,491,653 Chinese tourists, with the number of departures totalling 8,012,294.

The remaining 479,359 individuals who have not left Malaysia include 129,005 with long-term visas, 5,359 who were deported for offences under various laws, 141,783 with special passport applications, and those held in the Immigration Department Detention Depot.

“Of the total arrivals, 84,817 individuals with social visit passes have not yet left.

“So, let’s put an end to these unfounded claims of 1.2 million Chinese tourists failing to leave. The allegation that the Home Ministry approves citizenships in a ‘wholesale’ manner is a gross slander, and it’s best to stop spreading it,” he said when winding up the policy-level debate on the Supply Bill 2025 (Budget 2025) for his ministry, in the Dewan Rakyat, Thursday.

Saifuddin Nasution explained that Malaysia has implemented a digital arrival card system, which enables the authorities to track overstaying tourists, as it allows the authorities to compile a list of those who remain in the country past their permitted duration and forward the names to the relevant embassies.

He added that the matter was discussed during his visit to China, where he addressed the issue with his counterpart.

“When I visited China, I raised the matter. My counterpart informed me that if Chinese citizens violate the laws of a country they are in, they can still face legal action, and our action is to blacklist them,” he explained.

In response to the claim that 1.2 million Chinese nationals were granted Malaysian citizenship, Saifuddin Nasution firmly denied this, and said that under Article 15(1) of the Federal Constitution, only 103 Chinese nationals have been granted citizenship since 2013.

This figure reflects the decisions made during the tenures of former Home Ministers: Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (BN-Sembrong) from 2009 to 2013; Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk) from 2013 to 2018; Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) from 2018 to 2020; and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) from 2020 to 2022, as well as during the tenure of the current minister (Saifuddin Nasution).

He clarified that the granting of citizenship to Chinese nationals pertains to Chinese men married to Malaysian women and Chinese women married to Malaysian men.

“This accusation of granting citizenship in ‘wholesale’ is nothing more than an attempt to manipulate public sentiment. That’s why, when such reports are made, exploiting these sentiments, we have evidence… I have a number of police reports.

“Which leader plays this issue… in the mosque, in the surau. That’s why the police opened an investigation under the 3Rs (royalty, race, religion)… for irresponsibly playing with such sensitive issues. Now, let the data speak for itself,” he said.