Sabah Immigration Director Sh Sitti Saleha Yussof has strongly denied allegations that her officers were involved in corruption, particularly in the tourism sector.
She was responding to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing, who claimed there were signs of graft within the Immigration Department following his recent two-day visit to Tawau and Semporna.
“I strongly deny the allegation that our officers took bribes from Chinese tourists. We remain active in enforcement and act immediately on complaints or intelligence,” she told a press conference.
Sitti urged Tiong to take responsibility for his words and provide evidence instead of making broad accusations.
“If there are complaints, submit them with proof. That would be fair to our officers who are affected by such claims,” she said.
She added that no complaints had been received so far, including from Chinese tourists in Semporna, but stressed that the department would not compromise if misconduct was proven.
Meanwhile, she disclosed that as of August 13, Sabah had issued 145,711 foreign worker passes, comprising 121,199 Indonesians and 21,442 Filipinos across seven sectors: domestic helpers (3,608), construction (5,550), services (8,154), manufacturing (8,333), plantations (90,825), mining (67), and agriculture (29,174).
An additional 5,121 passes were recorded through the Temporary Employment Visit Pass Renewal Application System (ePLKS).
Sitti said the department respected the decision to suspend enforcement operations in plantations to allow for data collection but reminded employers to register workers within the six-month grace period to avoid action.
On another matter, she acknowledged the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau’s concerns about detainees with unclear citizenship, which had slowed repatriation.
She explained such cases involved only a small number of detainees, some of whom initially claimed to be Indonesians but were later verified as Filipinos. Others had mixed parentage, adding complexity.
“Immigration officers conduct thorough screenings, including interviews with family members. Some detainees are held longer until their status is verified,” she said, noting that embassies assist in confirming identities.
