In a recent viral TikTok video, a woman shares her frustrating experience at a Malaysian immigration counter, where her passport was confiscated for over 30 minutes. The incident occurred after she was reprimanded for using her phone. Netizens are divided on who was at fault in this contentious situation.
@arunahrani THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN TO ME YESTERDAY NIGHT!!! THE BEHAVIOR OF IMMIGRATION OFFICER!!! HE HOLD MY PASSPORT MORE THAN 30 MIN WITHOUT ANY REASON!!!! #CapCut #sultanabubakarcomplex #jbtiktok #sgtiktok #arunahrani #arunah #custom #immigration #behaviour #takeaction #karnah #officer original sound - ARUNAHRANI SIVALINGAM
The video shows the woman repeatedly asking for her passport at the Sultan Abu Bakar Immigration CIQ in Johor, but it was not returned. Frustrated, she sought the assistance of a female officer, emphasizing that she had done nothing wrong. However, the male officer at the counter responded dismissively, refusing to provide a reason for the confiscation.
@arunahrani THIS WHAT HAPPEN YESTERDAY AT SULTAN ABU BAKAR IMMIGRATION CIQ JB SECOND LINK!!!! #officer #karnah #takeaction #behaviour #immigration #custom #arunah #arunahrani #sgtiktok #jbtiktok #sultanabubakarcomplex @Onn Hafiz original sound - ARUNAHRANI SIVALINGAM
The female officer intervened, claiming they were processing the passport in the system, but the woman argued that she had been waiting for more than 30 minutes and that the process should already be complete. As tensions rose, she threatened to make a report and pointed out the presence of CCTV cameras.
The situation escalated further when the male officer accused the woman of being rude, to which she vehemently disagreed. According to her, she had been listening to music on her earphones but turned them off when approaching the counter. Despite her compliance, she was scolded by the officer, who stated that she respected the rules in Singapore but not in Malaysia.
@arunahrani SULTAN ABU BAKAR IMMIGRATION CIQ JB SECOND LINK!!! THE REASON OF MY ANGER!!! video bahasa melayu later will update!!! #sultanabubakarcomplex #jbtiktok #sgtiktok #arunahrani #arunah #immigration #behaviour #takeaction #officer #karnahenterprise #karnah original sound - ARUNAHRANI SIVALINGAM
In a subsequent video, the woman explained that the officers had demanded an apology before returning her passport. However, she eventually retrieved her passport after they realized she was recording the encounter.
Netizens' responses to the video varied, with some stating that such incidents are common and that government staff can be rude. Others questioned the prohibition on phone usage at immigration counters, while some emphasized the need to follow rules regardless. However, many agreed that withholding the passport was inappropriate and called for a professional investigation.
The viral video has amassed over 424.2k views, prompting discussions about proper conduct at immigration offices. While there have been no updates from the woman or the Immigration Bureau, it is hoped that relevant authorities will take action to address the issue and ensure a resolution.
