PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has agreed that the process of repatriating travellers issued with Not-to-Land (NTL) notices will be managed by the airline companies without the involvement of any third party.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the decision was inline with Chapter 5, Article 5.9 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
"It states that airline companies are responsible to manage the repatriation, if they need to provide food and drinks and return tickets, it is the responsibility of the company.
"The Immigration Act 1959 and 1963 also mentions that the airline companies are responsible for the repatriation.
"Hence the Cabinet has given the nod for the repatriation exercise to be managed by the airline companies without third parties," he said in a press conference today.
He said that the decision will allow for the travellers slapped with NTL to be managed better.
"Once they are flying out from the last location, the airline company is responsible for issuing the departure pass and they should know if the traveller has a return ticket.
"But if the travellers arrive and are refused entry because they did not have a return ticket, this is why the (international law) states that the airline company is responsible to fly the person to the country of origin," he said.
He also said that individuals issued with NTL notices were usually held from one to seven days depending on the process to repatriate them.
He also said that the matter would be further discussed with the Foreign Ministry and Transport Ministry.
"The matter of the appointed company (Mono Circle) will also be discussed in due time," he said.
He also confirmed that the two female travellers from China involved in the commotion at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) earlier this month have returned home.
He also reprimanded news agencies for contradicting reports quoting unnamed sources on the whereabouts of the two travellers.
"They flew back on Shenzen Airline ZH9030 at 8.55pm, according to Immigration records.
"I urge the media to be careful not to pick up from unnamed sources haphazardly contradicting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) commissioner's statement," he said.
On June 30, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing reportedly ambushed the officers at the KLIA arrival hall, claiming that there was a "culture of corruption" within the Immigration Department's handling of arrivals of foreign visitors.
The MACC and the police have initiated an investigation into the incident.