KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — The Immigration Department has launched an investigation into the allegation that Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing intruded into the arrival hall at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The department did not identify Tiong as the minister involved, but he released a statement earlier that confirmed he was the person accused of entering the area without authorisation to assist a Chinese national being detained.

"The department has taken immediate action to initiate an investigation into the alleged incident reported in the news,” Immigration director-general Datuk Ruskin Jusoh said in a statement.

"The investigation will be conducted comprehensively covering all relevant aspects.”

He also urged the public not to speculate over the incident in order not to affect the outcome of the investigation.

Earlier today, it was reported that several leaders including Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin called for the minister involved in the commotion to be removed from office.

Apart from the two politicians, Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Adnan Mat also urged the authorities to launch a full investigation on the minister.

Earlier, a news report alleged that a minister trespassed into the KLIA international arrival hall to free a Chinese visitor who was detained by the Immigration Department.

It further alleged that he sought to use his position as minister to reprimand police and immigration personnel attempting to stop him.

Since then, Tiong has insisted that he had a valid pass to be in the arrival hall as he was there on a working visit in his capacity as the tourism, arts, and culture minister.