Immigration counter experience gives visitors first impression of Malaysia – Saifuddin Nasution

SEPANG (Jan 19): It is imperative that serious attention be given to providing efficient, friendly and effective Immigration counter service as this is where foreign visitors first form their impression of the country, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He believes that visitors would form a general first impression of the country based on their initial experience at the Immigration counters, as this would reflect the professionalism of the country’s civil service.

He added that this aspect must be given priority by the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM), including by Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, to ensure all matters at the country’s gateway are conducted smoothly.

“Zakaria, as the Immigration director-general, plays a crucial role… when someone arrives in the country, his or her experience at the Immigration counter can be very significant.

“If they have a bad experience, then they won’t have a good impression of the country,” he said at the opening of a new branch of Oriental Kopi at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 (T1) here today.

Also present at the opening were Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain and Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd chairman Tengku Datuk Dr Hishammuddin Zaizi Tengku Bendahara Azman Shah Alhaj.

Saifuddin Nasution also shared the feedback he received from a foreign visitor who recently went through the entry process into Malaysia.

“Yesterday, I asked the visitor about it and that person replied that the process was smooth and well-coordinated. It feels good to hear such feedback,” he said. – Bernama