Penang Immigration director Nur Zulfa Ibrahim reported that the youth presented himself as a 10-year-old boy, accompanied by a local woman who claimed to be his mother.
The supervisor on duty observed discrepancies between the teenager’s physical appearance and that of a typical 10-year-old and noted that he struggled to understand the questions asked.
“Subsequently, the head of the office conducted a preliminary investigation into the youth and the woman. It was discovered that the teenager could not speak Malay.
“Further questioning by an officer revealed that his speech did not correspond with the Tamil dialect used by the Indian community here,” she said in a statement.
Nur Zulfa said that the investigation led to a confession by the woman who admitted that she was not the boy’s mother.
The woman also revealed that she had been paid a sum of money for her involvement, while the teenager confessed that he was a Sri Lankan citizen.
Both the woman and the boy were subsequently detained under the Passport Act 1966 for investigation and further action by the department, she said.
She added that the vigilance of the immigration officer on duty has bolstered the reputation of the Malaysian Immigration Department, underscoring its commitment to integrity and safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
