Pakistani man fined RM20,000 for sheltering migrants

Photo courtesy of New Straits Times

PASIR MAS, KELANTAN: A Pakistani man has been fined RM20,000 and had his car seized after he was caught allowing four undocumented migrants to shelter in the vehicle in Kota Baru.

Muhammad Zaman, 30, pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here on 19 July before Judge Zulkifli Abdullah. He was ordered to serve eight months in prison if he fails to pay the fine.

What happened

According to the charge, Muhammad allowed four undocumented migrants to remain in his Proton Gen-2 in a parking area on Jalan Parit Dalam, Kota Baru, at 7.10am on 12 July. The four men were identified as Indian national Anil Kumar, 28, and three Pakistani nationals, Jaan Masih, 37, Ahmed Zahaib, 33, and Mohsin Ali, 23.

Muhammad was charged under Section 55E(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which covers allowing undocumented migrants to remain at a place under one's control, an offence under Section 55E(2) of the same Act. Alongside the fine, the court ordered his car forfeited to the government. He was unrepresented in court, and the prosecution was led by Siti Khaidijah Khairuddin.

A wider crackdown

The case is one of several immigration prosecutions to come out of Pasir Mas this month, part of a broader push by Kelantan's Immigration Department against both undocumented migrants and those who shelter them.

For foreigners living in or visiting Malaysia, the case is a reminder that immigration law extends beyond the individual overstaying or entering illegally. Anyone, Malaysian or foreign, who knowingly houses, transports or otherwise assists an undocumented migrant can be prosecuted, even where no money changes hands and the arrangement is informal or brief.

Expats renting out rooms, employing domestic help or informally hosting acquaintances should be aware that Malaysian law places the burden on them to check the immigration status of anyone staying at a property or vehicle under their control. Fines of this scale, plus the forfeiture of assets such as a car, show that enforcement is being applied firmly regardless of the accused's own nationality or visa status.

Malaysia's Immigration Act carries some of the region's toughest penalties for these secondary offences, and courts in border states such as Kelantan have shown little leniency in recent months. Foreign residents unsure of their obligations under the law are generally advised to seek guidance from the Immigration Department or a local lawyer rather than assume informal hosting arrangements carry no risk.

19 July 2026