The Immigration Department today denied the claim made in a newspaper report blaming one of its circulars for causing an uncontrolled influx of foreigners into the country and thereby posing a threat to national security.

In a statement issued in Putrajaya, department director-general Alias Ahmad said Immigration Circular 40/2006 was enforced to prevent foreigners from being confused, as they mistook the US$50 a day wang tunjuk cited in the circular as proof they could sustain their stay here, for bribes.

According to the Sept 29, 2006 circular, immigration officers at all entry points were instructed to refrain from asking tourists to declare the wang tunjuk, which was previously a pre-requisite for entry to the country.

Alias was commenting on a New Straits Times report yesterday that said the circular, issued six years ago, was the main cause for the flood of "unwanted visitors" into the country.

He said the law still gave immigration officers the power to check and question tourists upon arrival.

"They can also ask for supporting documents, such as purpose of visit, accommodation details and scheduled activities and about available funds to support their stay," he said.

Alias said the officers could refuse entry to those who were banned under the Immigration Act and deport them to their port of origin.

The department, he added, constantly screened the flow of foreigners into the country and had conducted 6,017 enforcement operations in 2010 and detained 25,542 individuals of various nationalities for offences such as overstaying and misusing their entry passes.

- Bernama