Malaysia mulls imposing visas on Middle Eastern visitors
Malaysia’s National Security Council (NSC) has proposed introducing visas for visitors from the Middle East in order to prevent the entry of Islamic State (IS) militants into the country.
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The local media cited NSC Secretary Alias Ahmad as saying that Malaysia’s current visa exemption for citizens from the Middle East will make it hard for the country’s security agencies to track IS militants’ activities.
Malaysia currently requires visa of visitors from 34 of 201 countries, mostly from Africa, he said, adding that tourists registering for long-time stays in Malaysia and students should undergo careful examinations.
The council has also directed the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara) and the Companies Commission to monitor financial transactions between Malaysian companies and international firms to curb the channelling of funds to the militant group.
