Tiong To Explain Himself At Cabinet Meeting Says Zahid

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A traveller undergoing an immigration check at KLIA. On Wednesday, tourism minister Tiong King Sing alleged that detained travellers were asked for payment to secure their release. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing will explain himself at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday about the commotion between him and immigration officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week, says Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The deputy prime minister said he had discussed the matter with Tiong. “We will raise this matter during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and he will definitely explain then,” Zahid said, according to an Astro Awani report.
Zahid said he had also held several discussions with the home minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, as the immigration department is under the home ministry’s purview.
“This problem can be resolved in the right way based on the existing administrative system,” said Zahid at a press conference in Kuching.
Tiong King Sing.On Friday, Tiong admitted to being at the centre of a commotion with immigration officers at KLIA, where he attempted to intervene over a Chinese national allegedly prohibited entry into Malaysia.
Tiong said his visit to the airport had exposed a “culture of corruption by a few officials and the chronic abuse of power”.
He accused immigration officers of asking for as much as RM3,000 to release travellers they had detained, and an additional RM3,000 if the traveller wanted to return to his home country immediately.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said its officers would meet Tiong and the Chinese national today over his claims.
Reporters from various media were stationed outside MACC’s headquarters in Putrajaya today but reported that Tiong did not show up. When contacted by the New Straits Times, Tiong refused to confirm whether he would be present at the headquarters. - FMT

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