KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali is open to sending his officers to Mandarin classes if that can help ease the congestion at KL International Airport (KLIA).
Representatives from the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita), Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the Immigration Department and Tourism Malaysia have highlighted key problems, including the language barrier causing major delays for Chinese tourists.
China is the third biggest inbound tourism source after Singapore and Indonesia.
“If this can help ease congestion, I am all for it. That will assist the Immigration Department since we are acutely short of Chinese officers,” said Mustafar, who was responding after pictures of long queues at KLIA yesterday.
Asked why this was happening, he said: “I have explained that while we ensure all counters are opened, we are still faced with understrength or shortage of officers.
“The number of flights have increased and some arrive quite close together.”
He said the department had discussed ways to prevent passengers from having to wait a long time at the gates, including ensuring all counters are opened at all times.
Mustafar said the department would also hold discussions with MAHB and airline operators.
Last week, industry players commended Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to speed up the process for tourists coming into the country, saying efficiency would improve their first impressions of Malaysia.
Mita president Uzaidi Udanis said he was confident the issues could be resolved before the SEA Games begins on Aug 14 as a meeting to discuss problems had taken place on July 5.
At that meeting, it was decided that Immigration officers be sent for Mandarin classes to speed up documenting Chinese tourists.
“The Chinese tourists, especially those arriving in groups, take up some time at the Immigration counters because they do not understand English and not all our officers can speak Mandarin,” Uzaidir said.
