KUALA LUMPUR: An Immigration Department assistant enforcement officer claims the tourism, arts and culture minister had threatened to demote him for refusing entry to a traveller from China.
Syahmi Syafie Md. Nazmil, in a police report, said Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing gave him an earful.
The minister had entered Kuala Lumpur International Airport's Terminal 1 arrival hall recently, allegedly to free a Chinese tourist who was detained.
However, Tiong denied this was his motive. He said he was there to expose corrupt immigration practices.
Syahmi said the minister told the officers, "You are the culprit", in the incident.
His report also stated that officers were not given a chance to defend their action in denying entry to the tourist.
The 'New Straits Times' reached out to Tiong for a response to the allegations in Syahmi's police report.
The minister's press officer said no further comments would be made at the moment, adding that Tiong would let the authorities carry out their investigations.
Syahmi said the action against the traveller was in accordance with procedure and the "Permanent Instruction of the Director-General of Immigration No. 09 of 2017".
The issue erupted when a video of the incident at the airport involving a minister went viral.
Tiong had admitted he was the minister in the video. He alleged that there is a "culture of corruption" in the Immigration Department's handling of foreign visitors.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said it would investigate the matter.