TAWAU: The Immigration Department and relevant enforcement agencies have been urged to tighten entry policies for foreign nationals to prevent Sabah from becoming a hub for transnational scam syndicates.
Sabah DAP Committee member Philip Yap said a series of recent scam-related arrests in Tawau had caused growing concern among the local community.
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According to him, Tawau police conducted a raid on a resort in the district on April 7 and detained 80 individuals suspected of involvement in scam activities. Those arrested included 78 Chinese nationals, as well as one Myanmar and one Laotian national.
Exactly one month later, on May 7, police carried out another operation in Bandar Sri Indah (BSI), leading to the arrest of 28 more individuals, 27 of whom were Chinese nationals, for allegedly being involved in similar scam activities.
Yap said the recurring incidents had left residents feeling anxious and worried, while also creating misconceptions among some members of the public towards foreign tourists due to the frequency of such cases being reported.
“We need to clarify that the majority of tourists and foreign nationals entering Malaysia are law-abiding individuals,” he said.
“What must be eradicated are the criminal syndicates abusing entry facilities to conduct scam activities, rather than targeting citizens from any specific country.”
He warned that the issue could tarnish the security image of Tawau and Sabah, while also negatively affecting the tourism sector and healthy international relations if not addressed seriously.
Yap said the Department should tighten entry procedures for foreign visitors, including requiring proof of return flight tickets, clearer declarations on the purpose of entry, and stricter monitoring of the duration of stay in the country.
“Should there be individuals deemed suspicious or who cannot be traced after entering the country, immediate tracking and enforcement action must be carried out,” he stressed.
He also proposed that the Government consider introducing an accommodation monitoring system similar to those practised in several countries, including China, where information on foreign nationals staying in hotels is recorded and updated directly with the authorities for security monitoring purposes.
According to Yap, such measures are not intended to target any particular group, but rather to strengthen modern security mechanisms and prevent criminal syndicates from abusing the system.
He added that many scam victims were elderly individuals and ordinary workers who had lost their life savings, retirement funds and years of hard-earned income after being deceived.
Meanwhile, Yap stressed that combating scam syndicates should not rest solely on the shoulders of the police, but required cooperation from all parties, including the Government and the public, through increased awareness and stronger preventive systems.
“Matters like this cannot be allowed to continue happening. Combating scams is a shared responsibility,” he said.
