Malaysia Matters Podcast

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that it is eliminating visas on arrival for 27 countries as of this Friday. Reported countries included are India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Citizens of the aforementioned nations will have to make arrangements prior to arrival in Malaysia.

Visitors from these countries, many whom have come to Malaysia to work, too often overstay their visas. According to Expressindia.com, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that: 

“although foreign workers had contributed tremendously to the economy, they were also the cause of social ills, illegal squatters and diseases such as tuberculosis…”

Malaysia relies heavily on foreign workers who number about 2.1 million, half of them Indonesians. About 140,000 are Indians, 330,000 are from Bangladesh and 260,000 Nepalese…

US citizens will still enjoy a favorable visa upon arrival with stays authorized up to three months with a possible extension of another two months.