The Immigration Department has lodged a police report following a viral social media post by a woman who alleged she was humiliated and accused of stealing a passport cover at the UTC Pudu Immigration Office.
The woman claimed the incident happened on Aug 21 while she was at the office to apply for a passport, alleging that she was confronted by immigration officers after she inadvertently took a passport cover that she believed had been provided with her newly issued passport.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the department immediately conducted an internal review after the allegations gained attention online. The review included examining closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, relevant records and statements from officers who were on duty at the time.
He said the findings showed that several claims made in the woman’s social media post did not correspond with the CCTV footage, departmental records and accounts provided by officers.
“The department views this matter seriously to ensure that the actual circumstances can be clarified based on the facts obtained,” he said in a statement today.
Zakaria said JIM had subsequently lodged a police report for further action and would provide full cooperation to the authorities throughout the investigation.
In her viral post, the woman claimed she was called into a room while waiting for her husband and found herself surrounded by more than 10 immigration officers. She alleged that officers raised their voices at her and accused her of stealing the passport cover despite her explanation that she had taken it unintentionally.
She further claimed that her husband was reprimanded when he tried to defend her, while both of them were asked to provide their mobile phones so officers could check call records following a dispute involving an alleged telephone call.
According to her account, the officers later realised that the wrong telephone number had been contacted. She also alleged that she was given the option of being taken to a police station or writing a statement acknowledging that she had taken the passport cover.
The woman said she eventually wrote that she had “accidentally taken” the cover, stressing that she had no intention of stealing it. She claimed the cover was later returned and that she remained at the premises while waiting for her husband.
She also said she had lodged a complaint with the Home Ministry over how the incident was handled.
Zakaria said JIM respected the right of members of the public to express their views, share experiences and lodge complaints regarding its services. However, he stressed that information shared publicly should be accurate and comprehensive so that complaints could be assessed fairly and misunderstandings avoided.
He added that JIM remained committed to handling complaints in a transparent, professional and impartial manner, while ensuring its services were delivered with integrity and in the public interest.
