Malaysians the top Britain visa abusers

Friday September 26, 2008

By CHOI TUCK WO

LONDON: Malaysia is in the top five countries whose citizens are consistently being denied entry into Britain.

If that is not bad enough, Malaysians are also among the top 10 nationalities who overstay and in the top 20 for overall immigration abuses.

Revealing these statistics, Malaysian High Commissioner to Britain Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohamad said most Malaysians who overstayed were from Johor, Perak, Penang and Selangor.

He said Malaysians had been in Britain’s bad books over visa abuses, with about 1,500 of them refused entry last year.

Aziz said Malaysian passports were often abused by nationals from China, Sri Lanka and India to gain illegal entry into Britain.

“And Malaysians are frequently reported as acting as facilitators to arrange for other nationals to enter Britain,” he said when briefing the Malaysian community here on the proposed visa ruling for Malaysians travelling to Britain.
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My Say:

While I was in London several years ago, I met Malaysians who had stayed permanently in UK after completing their studies.

There was also one gentleman from Sandakan who made London his home after graduating. When I asked him why he chose to stay on, he told me that he completed his studies in environment on British scholarship.

"My applications for scholarship and loan at home were rejected," he said.

In Loving Memory of Dr CJ

These two photographs were taken at the corner seat where Dr CJ (left) had been the permanent `resident'.

Dr Charles James (CJ) (left in both photographs) was the first man that I met and acquainted with upon my arrival in London on July 5th 1997 to begin my stint as New Straits Times news correspondent.

The NST office cum house (Times of Malaysia (London) Limited) was on the 1st Floor, 31 Chapel Side, Moscow Road, London W2 4LL a stone throw from the Bayswater and Queensway tube stations.

NST correspondent Rashid Yusof whom I was replacing came to the Heathrow Airport to wait for me and as soon as I met Karim Sulaiman and his family (they were staying a floor above me), I went out in search for something to eat.

I passed by King's Head Bar and seeing that there were not many people inside, I went in and sat at the end of the front bar. I ordered a pint and was enjoying that first drink in London, my back resting on the wall came a big build man walking with the aid walking sticks.

When he saw me, I smiled and said: Gentleman, I see you're new here. That place (pointing to where I was seated) is mine. Please, make way." Sensing that I was the only Malaysian inside the bar, I obediently moved away making way for the man to have his seat.

As I was moving to the a table holding the pint, the man said: "Young man, sit here (pointing to the empty chair next to him). I am CJ, join me. I will buy you a pint for moving from my seat."

Yes that was the beginning of a two years' friendship to CJ who was living just across the Bar and just a block away from Chapelside. It would be everyday with CJ at the bar. He introduced me to his friends who were professionals, TV celebrities and high-ranking City officials.

I had also introduced CJ to my friends/students from Malaysia and when I wife and children joined me, CJ was at the bar hosting us lunch.

I still remember when I came back from Germany after a-week-tour with the other London-based journalists that the moment I entered the bar, CJ was there staring at me. He was not amused for not being told where I went saying that he was worried that I went `missing' for a week.

When I told him that I was on official visit to Germany, he said:"Ah ha...young man the penalty is two pints for you for a week (he smiled), on me."

The next time I went to Scotland, I informed me and he gave me a number to call and the man turned out to be his relative. I had a great time. From the first encounter with CJ until I returned home to Kota Kinabalu Sabah, I was always there having a pint with CJ.

I also called CJ sometimes.

Than a shocking news was related to me by Nades (Citizen Nades) that CJ had passed away. I called on the numbers I used to call him, his younger brother Micheal was at the other end of the line crying, confirming that Dr CJ `had returned to the Lord.'

NST last assigned correspondent to London Mr Tony Emmanuel had the opportunity to meet and drink with CJ and he too, informed me of the good doctor's passing.

That was several years ago but Dr CJ, a retired medical consultant, is until now still fresh in my mind.

How times travels.....

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan (centre) and JB at left. At right is KKJA chief Wong Bak Kion.

Last night I realised that I had been a journalist for more than 25 years. Looking back to all those years, I can not help but admitted that this line of work had given me satisfaction, not to mention the advantages that had made and will continue to fall on my life and that to my family. It was the `pen and reporter's notebook' that fed my family,put my four children through universities and built a house of my own without taking out a loan.

It is also this line of work that had given me opportunities to travel and work overseas.

Now I can proudly go and tell my many friends, who had look upon me as an outcast when I decided to quit as a teacher to go into journalism in 1978, that like teacher, journalist is also a noble profession.

And last night, I was one of the few who was honoured by the Kota Kinabalu Journalists Association with a branded watch and an appreciation certificate for having been more than 25 years in journalism, presented by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Shu Kiah.

Last night was the association's 15th Anniversary cum Press Night 2007 which was held at the Port View Seafood Restaurant, Kota Kinabalu.

Aug 31st in London 10 Years Ago

It was 3am on Aug 31st 1997 in London when the office-cum-house(at 31 Chapel Side Moscow Road Bayswater, London W2 4LL) phone rang and at the other end was Sdr Farush Khan of New Straits Times, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, alerting me that Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car crash with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed.

Farush apologised for waking me up but he said he had to do it on instruction from higher up. He knew how it like to be called in that hours as he, too, had served in the same office several years before my posting.

I was told to follow up the story but could not do it immediately as it was 3am and that the accident happened in Paris. In the morning, Sdr Karim Sulaiman of Berita Harian, who lived a floor above me, and I went to the Princess of Wales' Palace in Hyde Park, about five minutes walk from Bayswater.

Only about a dozen of flowers were placed at the iron grill of the gates at that time. Later in the evening, I returned to the Hyde Park, this time the flowers were almost covering the compound. In days to come before and after the funeral, there were sea of flowers everywhere. Such was the feelings of the people to Princess Diana on her passing.

Diana, The People's Princess, married Prince Charles in 1981. They had two sons, William and Harry. They divorced in 1996 after admissions of adultery on both sides. Prince Charles is now married with his former sweetheart Camilla.