KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Family Frontiers today urged the government to clarify the scope of its new task force targeting Social Visit Pass misuse, warning that vague language could harm Malaysian families with non-citizen spouses.

The civil society group said while it supports enforcement against illegal activity, thousands of families rely on Long Term Social Visit Passes (LTSVP) to stay together legally in Malaysia.

“The term ‘Social Visit Pass’ is a broad administrative category in Malaysia that covers several different groups. A lack of distinction between these Social Visit Pass categories in public discourse is dangerous,” Family Frontiers said in a statement.

The organisation highlighted that in 2025, some 141,381 social visit passes were issued to non-citizen spouses, many of whom face restrictions on employment despite holding tertiary degrees.

“Many non-citizen spouses have endured hardships and to settle here in Malaysia for the long term to support their families, with their Malaysian spouse and children being the main beneficiaries,” it added.

Family Frontiers warned that using a blanket term like “Social Visit Pass abusers” could fuel public prejudice and make employers reluctant to hire legally entitled spouses.

The organisation also called on the government to ensure the task force includes civil society voices, explicitly protects legal residents on spouse-based LTSVPs, and educates employers on the legality of hiring them.

“Any ambiguity from the government could inadvertently create new, informal barriers to their right to earn a living and support their Malaysian families,” Family Frontiers said.

It further urged authorities to remove the employment prohibition from LTSVPs for non-citizen spouses as a long-term, fair measure.

Family Frontiers offered to work with the government to maintain a fair immigration system that differentiates between lawbreakers and integral members of Malaysian families.

The Social Visit Pass issue has been raised following government concerns over rising abuse of these visas, with some foreigners working or conducting business illegally, prompting the formation of a multi‑agency task force to tighten enforcement and protect legal residents.