DUBAI CONSULATE VIGILANT OVER VISA APPLICATIONS

By Muin Abdul Majid

DUBAI, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian consulate-general in Dubai has
further enhanced vigilance in processing visa applications to thwart any attempt
to misuse the document.

Consul-General Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin said consulate staff
handling such applications had come across suspicious cases which required
further scrutiny.

He highlighted the recent case of 26 Afghan nationals who had applied for
visas to travel to Malaysia.

"It was quite a sizeable number, and at that time, the authorities in
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were tightening residency rules.

"So, we suspected something amiss and eventually turned down their
applications," Syed Mohamad Hasrin told Bernama.

The consul-general alluded to recent reports of people from Afghanistan and
other countries who had entered Malaysia legally, being caught embarking on
overcrowded boats to Indonesia en route to Australia.

"So, taking into account all these developments, we need to be more cautious
in the granting of visas," he said.

According to Mohamad Hasrin, the consulate would generally process visa
applications from expatriates with a valid UAE residence permit although there
were exceptions.

He disclosed that the group of Afghan applicants had no such permit.

The consul-general said applicants whose documents were in order had nothing
to worry about.

"But, if we sense that something is not right, then we may ask a whole lot
more questions," he said.

Mohamad Hasrin said, up till June this year, the Dubai consulate processed
about 8,800 visa applications from the expatriate community.

"They were mostly from India, followed closely by Pakistanis and
Bangladeshis," he said, adding that about 9,900 applications were processed last
year.
-- BERNAMA