US VISA WAIVER PROGRAM: Hanya Tinggal Impian?

Ingat lagi tak berita TPM, Zahid Hamidi yang berusaha untuk dapatkan kelulusan Kedutaan USA (this entry) bagi membolehkan pemegang passport Malaysia memasuki USA tanpa memohon Visa?

Nampaknya rakyat Malaysia terpaksa melupakan impian tersebut dengan berita terbaru hari ini.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia remains hopeful that it will be included in the US Visa Waiver programme, despite news that the Trump administration is not planning to expand the list.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi  said the Government has done its best to fulfil all conditions required to participate in the programme.

He said Malaysia would closely follow latest developments with the State Department, and seek an explanation from the US Ambassador to Malaysia.

“We have fulfilled all conditions, including the conditions set under the HSPD-6 (Homeland Security Presidential Directive No 6), and ensured that security aspects such as the lost passports list and suspects list were fully utilised.

Earlier this week, US Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir said the Trump administration was not looking to include new countries in its Visa Waiver programme.

She said Malaysia and the US had worked very hard on travel security measures, in terms of making sure travellers were legitimate as well as working on lost or stolen passport information.

Previously, Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is the Home Minister, expressed confidence that the Government had complied with all requirements in order to make it into the programme by this September.

Nampaknya Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi telah berusaha keras untuk memohon US Waiver Program kalau masih ingat lagi berita lepas, Malaysia hampir mencapai 3% daripada syarat yang ditetapkan iaitu Malaysia mempunyai 3.3% pemohon yang visa mereka ditolak oleh Kedutaan Besar Amerika Syarikat. NEWS HERE

Tapi kalau korang amati berita di atas.... Donald Trump iaitu Presiden Amerika Syarikat seolah-solah tidak mengendahkan usaha Malaysia berdasarkan kenyataan Duta Besar Amerika (Kamala Shirin) yang mengatakan bahawa pihak mereka masih belum bercadang untuk membuka peluang kepada negara baru untuk disenaraikan.