Effective immediately, all foreigners flying on domestic services within Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak are required to produce a valid passport for identity verification.
Previous protocol allowed foreigners to travel on domestic flights carrying only a photo ID, without producing any travel documents, but it appears that the Malaysian government is now seeking to tighten security throughout the country’s airports.
It seems likely this change is in response to an embarrassing security breach in December when passengers from Malaysia Airlines flight MH741, which was arriving from Yangon, Myanmar, were not property screened through immigration.
The flight, initially bound for KLIA, was diverted to Langkawi International Airport due to bad weather. Upon arrival there, only 32 of the 135 passengers were cleared through Malaysian Immigration. When the weather improved, the flight continued on to KL as a domestic flight, with all of the passengers disembarking as domestic arrivals.
Malaysia Airlines was issued a warning over the incident and Malaysian authorities have publicly implored the passengers of MH741 to submit themselves for proper immigration clearance.
National carrier Malaysia Airlines has issued a notice to its ground handling services staff, informing them of the policy. Passengers are requested to comply with the change to avoid being denied entry at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad security checkpoints.
For more information, visit malaysiaairports.com.my.
"ExpatGo welcomes and encourages comments, input, and divergent opinions. However, we kindly request that you use suitable language in your comments, and refrain from any sort of personal attack, hate speech, or disparaging rhetoric. Comments not in line with this are subject to removal from the site. "
This is nothing new esply travelling from West to East Malaysia. But the incident that happen is really STUPID n should not be taken as a guide line in the first place. What a SHAME.
Nothing new
Should be carried at all times for I’d in case you are run over by a speeding BMW.
Hahaha iy only foreigners ? the danger is the locals Isis are also malaysians majority hahaha
Flew into Penang from KL yesterday, no different 2 usual
Josephine Sevilla YOU SEE I TOLD U
Ian Justine Gray
Joseilton Danielleto Sami Luz Marcos Cadah Bruno Miranda Adjan Barbosa Mariana Barbosa fyi
Eu sempre levo
Karim Khoury
Common sense dictates you take it with you. I always do and have always been asked to provide it especially at check in
To all those saying that this is not news (Jason, Jon, Alison Juergen and others), some passengers, aboard the MH741 flight that was diverted to Langkawi, encountered a problem because of this old regulation – as recently as December 2015. The announcement is a result of this – and so it’s a very recent development!
Yes, I read the story then. A flight-diversion is a kind of ‘exceptional’ situation. MAS’ on-board and ground-crews should have dealt with it with some foresight… announcement during the descent, routing the arriving passengers though the correct channel. Obviously, they didn’t.
On the other hand, if I was pushed around like them for a whole year, very likely I neither would have the drive anymore to go the extra mile for what was once ‘my company’.
However, carrying the passport along alone will not prevent it from happening again. It still depends on how staff respond to any particular incident.
I have been flying domestically for 10 years in Malaysia and have been asked for passport ID every time without exception. It’s also impossible to fly from Peninsular Malaysia to Eastern (Sabah or Sarawak) without a passport and always has been. If fact you need to go thru immigration over there and get your passport stamped. I don’t care what you say…this is not news.
Agree marc! Sama sama
Totally agree! Been here since 2009 and every time I fly, even domestically, I’ve had to show my passport and have it stamped despite holding a visa (10 year passport blitzed in under 5 years) so nothing new to me either!
Marc, strange how different our experiences are, in 12 years not once have I needed to produce my passport to travel domestically
Marc Alison Perhaps it’s not news to you but this is a recent development for some – as you can see, thanks Matthew 🙂 The article author also sent us this, hopefully it clarifies things slightly:
“Although we understand some expats have previously always used their passports for domestic travel within Malaysia and don’t see this as important news, many others have enjoyed using alternate identification such as iPass, PR card, or other official Malaysian photo IDs for their domestic flights, which gave them the option of travelling domestically without having to carry their passport. With this change, however, that apparently will no longer be an option.”
Now tell us something new..!
I’ve always had to show my passport so this is nothing new
Ah, the good old days of the gold card. Could even use the diplomatic lane (which is underutilized) at KLIA. Foreign traveler have had to use passports for domestic flights for years.. This is a non story.
This has always been the protocol. What other ID would you show? Most countries don’t have “ICs” like Malaysia.
I have always shown my passport too. But the issue that started all this is nothing to do with passports. When you arrive at Langkawi there are 2 entrance doors to the terminal. 1 for domestic and one for international.
very important info ! ! Thank U
Mukhtar Dorin Munim Well keep on doing what you were always doing then 🙂
Brett Coulson
We have always showed our passports while flying 🙂
True…its been a practice since i remember. Nothing new
isnt it already a practice for years..?
It’s better to tighten security before something unwanted happen
I have always been asked to show my passport for domestic flights not only at check in but at the boarding gate as well in KL. .
Passport is your official legal document for identification foreigner. If we use a student card ID, anyone can simply fake a student ID but Passport is a difficult document to fake. Therefore for safety of everyone it is still advice to use MYKAD for Malaysian and Passport for foreigner.
What’s the point of faking your identity when flying domestically?
Hello!? I’ve never shown a passport…you should get an ID card from immigration along with your working visa (gold card)
Laurence Beattie just for your info, some of us do not work , but reside here on MM2H visa which does NOT come with an ID card. Prefer to show passport rather than rejoin the working classes.. lol.
Surely for most expats, their passport IS their photo ID?
There are a lot of foreign students in Malaysia. Previously they could use their college ID.
The gold card was mostly used.
I have always used my UK driving license until this ruling
Sue Kim
James