Being married to a Malaysian gives no right of abode, no right to work, no right to a PR, no right of entry, or anything. It only gives the right to apply for a ‘Spouse pass’, which is a glorified tourist visa. A foreign spouse *cannot* stay here without a visa.

I speak from experience, being one myself.

Let me tell you . You all have got the wrong approach to apply for the PR for your spouse.

Do you still remember the 2004 Asian Tsumani ? An Indonesian fisherman who was found drifting in a rickity raft was rescued by a Port Klang bound container vessel. When asked later from his hospital as to what was his wish, he replied that he would like to stay and work in Malaysia legally and was granted PR on the spot without any application paper even submitted. Most of my Malaysian friends who have British and Australian wives who are qualified doctors are not granted PR.

The moral of this history is : to apply for PR in Malaysia, you must take a rickity raft and sail along the Straits of Malacca and wait for a Malaysian bound vessel to pick you up. Then you must declare that you are an Indonesian and would like to work and stay in Malaysia. Presto, you will be granted PR on the spot.

Always remember : Money first , then things then people . Now you stay safe.

There are so many lawyers in Malaysia today and if you reside in Malaysia you must have heard of the joke that if you were to throw a stone up in the air when walking in the vicinity of Medan Pasar, it would land on a lawyer’s head!

I can only say that the procedures now in place and perhaps also the law in Malaysia today appears not to be in accord with international standards. In my case I just had to convert her status to that of a PR and within two years after an interview with Special Branch she was granted PR status. She didn’t want to apply for Malaysian citizenship choosing instead to remain a foreign national with rights to permanent residence in Malaysia. She has since abandoned that right.

I think whoever dealt with you was too lazy to refer to his or her officer – assuming she or he was aware of the wrong way you were approaching the issue of your wife’s continued stay in Malaysia. Or maybe you just didn’t ask him or her the right question or didn’t ask her or him any question.

If your wife was on a tourist visa or a student visa before you married her, it needs to be cancelled by immigration and her passport stamped to indicate her current status. Your wife should not be on any visa!” – UnderGrad2

Tried to verify what you mentioned here but nobody has ever heard of such thing that my wife does not need a spouse Visa…

Can you point me to the right article, site or officer in charge since the last person that I talked to is involved in helping foreign workers in Malaysia and he is also wondering about what you have mentioned here as he is totally not aware of such thing…

Hope you can let me know exactly about what u said since you sounded very knowledgeable in this matter. Thanks and Cheers!

Can you please advice me on how,whom and where to approach to
seek legal representation as suggested by you.

LKS….Malaysia is a wonderful place but those UMNO idiots have ruined the country.

Yesterday at 23: 37.06
Dear YB,

For foreign spouse getting PR status, I have more than 10 books stories to tell. Maybe Steven Spielbergs …”

Your story is hilarious! But you don’t need to send your script so far away as Hollywood. A local producer would do just as well, and the title of the movie should be “Green Card – the Malaysian Way” with LKS as the lead actor, and RPK as the supporting actor. That would be sensational!

So we decided not to return to Malaysia with our children. Cannot afford to go to immigration to chop passport every two weeks. Guess what. My wife got permanent residency in Singapore in two months. We and on behalf of all Malaysian who are in similar situation, would like to thank the Singapore Government wholeheartedly for taking us in. In Singapore we are considered EQUAL even to their own citizen. It truly is a remarkable meritocratic system.

I guess you are an Indian married to a non-Muslim Indonesian.

Haven’t you thought of using a lawyer? You need legal representation in matters like this. The backlog of civil cases waiting to be heard is astronomical by any standard and one could understand why advice like “Seek legal representation” is a source of little comfort to people with similar problem like yourself.

How do you do battle with a bureaucracy burdened by red tape, numbed and insensitive to the needs of people who choose to build families with alien spouses? Even Malays who find themselves in similar situations have had to put up with caustic remarks from Immigration officials: “Kalau awak tak mahu masaalah seperti ini, kenapa tak kahwin dengan bangsa sendiri?” – especially the women.

It is time politicians do something. It is time our legislators look at the law and see how it could be improved. Often it is not the law but its execution. This is a nonpartisan issue and it should be able to attract non-partisan support.

It is time structural reforms be made to its administrative machinery. It is time administrative courts and boards and tribunals are set up within the appropriate Ministry or department to handle immigration matters. These are the immigration courts presided over by judges. Such immigration courts are no different than civil courts except procedures are less formal and no strict rules of evidence need be followed. Decisions could be appealed to a board presided over by a panel of say three judges. The civil courts could act as the final court of appeal.

I believe our immigration law is full of loopholes.

In the U.S. if you file a petition for your spouse for an immigrant visa, the start of a process which will end in your spouse getting PR status, it should take no more than six months which is the maximum time period allowed to the government to reply and schedule an appointment for an interview. It is stated in the instructions given in the form and the form is sent by mail. Once you are given a date for the interview, you are required to attend or else without more it is regarded as application having been abandoned. The decision is made at the close of the interview or you will be informed your application is under review which means a delay of two weeks before you get the decision by mail.

If you apply for work authorization, the government is allowed 120 days (maximum) to respond i.e. application approved or denied. If it exceeds the 120-day time period, the government is required by law to issue the applicant with the authorization to work. You get a credit card size plastic to carry with you which also doubles up as ID. If the applicant’s case is later rejected, the authorization is deemed cancelled. How would the employer know that? It has a magnetic tape at the back and when your employer swipes the card, it links to an immigration data base and your employer will know.

It is all about the rule of law. The government has to abide by the same law as its citizens. The rules of the game are the same whether played by an Indian, Chinese or Malay or a Kadazan etc.

Isn’t it too much to expect our legislators to do a comprehensive review of our immigration law and procedures?

Every year during the visa renewal, when ask about the status, the answer is “sudah antar KL,tunggu sampai ada jabwab”. Until recently a friend told me to approach directly to Putra Jaya. Five
month ago I appealed to Putra Jaya after 10 years of waiting and
got a reply saying “Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa permohonan tuan
adalah dalam pertimbangan Jabatan ini. Tuan akan dimaklumkan sebaik sahaja keputusan diperolehi.” When will this happen? After my death?

I went through a multiple by-pass heart surgery in 1994 just after my daughter was born and am surviving to date. I am 68 years old now and do not know how long more I can pull through which I have stated in my appeal letter to Putra Jaja.

I am worried about my wife if I die. She cannot renew visa without me in person. She has to leave Malaysia or else she be illegal person to stay here. I am more worried for my daughter. What will happen to her without both the parents? I have no blood to look after her. I am the only son for my late Malaysian parents.

I only hope for some good news for my wife after 15 years of waiting. She is a undergraduate,all rounder in sports,can name any
royalty,ministers,and any current matters in Malaysia and a good wife and mother who will make a good citizen for this country.