Are tourists required to have money in hand to be eligible to enter Malaysia, even with a valid visa?

Businessperson Reimund Chong has been left with unanswered questions after immigration officers detained his girlfriend from China on arrival at the Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Low-Cost Carrier Terminal.

The woman, 30, flew in on Monday afternoon and was deported to Macau early yesterday, after being accused of attempting to enter the country as a sex worker.

An outraged Chong, 44, held a press conference in Brickfields today, with the help of Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua.

In a report lodged at the airport police station yesterday, Chong claimed that she was denied food and water and that her cellular phone had been confiscated during her ordeal. He found this out after she called him from Macau.

Chong, who was waiting for her at the airport, became anxious when he did not see her. He approached the auxiliary police for help and was advised to contact immigration personnel.

"I phoned an officer at the airport who explained that my girlfriend did not have enough money on her and further accused her of being a prostitute," alleged Chong.

"At the end of the day, they gave me a proposal - to send money to her when she returns to China and then bring her back."

He described this as ridiculous, saying he had offered to pay whatever money was required, and that there was no need to deport her only so that she could return with money in hand.

"On top of that, they accused her of coming to Malaysia for prostitution. I'm very angry about that," he said, adding that he plans to sue those involved, including the government, for damages.

Chong said no explanation was given as to how much money his girlfriend was required to carry, and that he did not have a chance to ask what the money was for because the officer "slammed down the phone".

Assumption 'unfair'

Prior to this, the woman had entered Malaysia on a 30-day tourist visa in October without a hitch. On Monday, she was in possession of a fresh three-month multiple entry visa from the Malaysian embassy in China.

Although the visa was not cancelled by the immigration authorities, Chong has no intention of asking his girlfriend to return without a guarantee that she will not be put through this again.

Chua said the immigration officer's actions showed blatant disregard of the government's expensive efforts to turn Malaysia into a tourist hub.

"While we are accusing the US and other countries of denying entry to Muslims on the assumption they would blow up a building, we are assuming that Chinese women coming here to engage in vice," he added.

"You cannot deport anyone who has not violated immigration laws."

When contacted, immigration department enforcement head Ishak Mohammed said the woman was "not qualified" to enter the country because she did not have enough money with her.

He claimed that, under immigration regulations, the woman would have to carry US$1,500 for a three-month stay and that she should have been aware of it.

"A lot of Chinese girls have been misusing their tourist passes," claimed Ishak, who also insisted that the Chinese national was "not detained, only held" before deportation.