Johor bahru: The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) is actively tracking 19 foreign visitors out of a total of 430 linked to the Network School operations in Forest City, Johor. These operations have come under scrutiny due to alleged involvement of Israeli nationals.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Immigration Department's director-general, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, stated that efforts are underway to ascertain the immigration status of these 19 individuals. Initial checks revealed that 430 visitors had ties to the Network School issue; of these, 210 are currently in Malaysia, 201 have departed, and the whereabouts of 19 remain unknown.
Datuk Zakaria explained, "We have 19 individuals whose movements cannot be traced. They may have left the country illegally or entered illegally." The department is focused on identifying their locations for further investigation to determine if they are still in Malaysia or have left.
The announcement was made during the 2026 Immigration Day celebration, which was attended by notable figures including Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
In addition, Zakaria mentioned that JIM is collaborating with other enforcement agencies, the Johor state government, and local authorities to investigate. He confirmed that checks by the department found no evidence of passport misuse, as the visitors used valid passports from their respective countries.
The controversy arose after Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi urged the Home Ministry and relevant agencies to examine the Network School's operations following reports of Israeli nationals' involvement. Allegedly, some individuals used passports from a second country to enter Malaysia for the programme, raising public concern.
The Home Ministry, along with the Immigration Department, the Royal Malaysia Police, and other relevant entities, is conducting a thorough investigation into these claims. The issue attracted public attention after various posts and videos on Threads questioned the true purpose of the Network School and the alleged involvement of Israeli nationals.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency