Touts posing as immigration officers allegedly extorting money at KL airport

First-time travellers, especially those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, often asked for cash

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Selangor At first, there were taxi touts. Now, another kind of tout is allegedly plaguing Malaysia's main airport - those who pose as immigration officers to make a quick buck by extorting money from unsuspecting first-time travellers from South Asia.

The Star has learnt that gullible travellers, especially visitors from Bangladesh and Pakistan, are often pulled aside at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) by the alleged touts, who claim to be immigration officers, and extorted for cash.

The matter came to light when a Tik Tok user with the handle @khanxze posted several videos of a man allegedly extorting money from a Pakistani man who had arrived in Malaysia for the first time.

"When I was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal I's arrival hall, I was approached by a distressed man asking whether I could speak Urdu, to which I said yes.

"The man told me that a stranger, who claimed to be an immigration officer, had taken RM300 (S$85) from him. The man asked for my help to ask the individual why he had to pay the amount," wrote the Tik Tok user, who wanted to be known only as Mr Khan.

Mr Khan said he observed the situation and found that first-time travellers, especially those from Pakistan, were being asked for cash.

He confronted the man who had posed as a so-called "officer" and demanded an explanation. The man asked him to leave.

In the videos, the tout is heard telling Mr Khan that he would collect RM200 from each traveller and was simply earning a living.

"Jangan kacau. Kita ambil RM200 to RM300 tak ada masalah. (Don't bother, there won't be an issue if we take RM200 to RM300)," Mr Khan said.