Alleged scheme uses immigration fast-track to extend Chinese nationals' stays in Malaysia

A week-long monitoring effort documented a routine in which Chinese nationals gathered at a restaurant within the Home Ministry’s Federal Territory complex and were assisted by local “runners” to obtain Special Passes from the Immigration Department’s Jalan Duta office. Agents completed application forms, photographed passports with personal phones, and transmitted the images to immigration officers via messaging apps, bypassing the official counter process.

A senior officer reportedly signed off on the applications, enabling junior staff to issue the passes and assign fast-track queue numbers, reducing processing time to minutes. Agents charged as much as RM1,500 per passport, despite the statutory fee of RM20, and sometimes submitted applications without the applicants present. Immigration insiders said the service is sought by Chinese individuals tied to online scam syndicates operating in Cyberjaya and other Klang Valley hubs, which require stays longer than the standard 30-day tourist limit.