Banned to Travel : 31,694 blacklisted in first 3 months X



KUALA LUMPUR: In the first three months of the year, 31,694 Malay-sians have been barred from leaving the country for various reasons.

This amounts to almost half the number barred for the whole of last year, and more than 50 per cent of the number in 2009.

According to Immigration Department statistics, 78,785 people were barred from going overseas last year, while the previous year saw 54,972 banned.

Immigration Department Security and Passports Division director Ibrahim Abdullah said the public should check their travel status before making plans to go overseas.

"They can check their status via the department's website or call our customer service hotline. They can also check directly with the respective agencies, such as PTPTN or the Inland Revenue Board."

On a recent New Straits Times report stating that more than 60,000 individuals had been prevented from leaving the country for evading taxes, Ibrahim said the larger number reflected the total number of names submitted to the department.

"However, depending on different circumstances, not all of the names submitted will be subjected to the travel ban," he said, adding that the department differentiated between active and non-active bans.

Ibrahim said the records were updated daily as the status of the individuals changed.

"Many loan defaulters, for example, begin to make repayments as soon as they learn they have been banned from travelling."

Those looking to remove themselves from the list of barred travellers should approach the relevant agencies directly.

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