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No hongbao, no passport stamp
For one Singaporean family, what appeared to be a sign of warm hospitality turned out to be a solicitation for money.
The 40-year-old businessman - referred to as Mr Cai in Mandarin - and his family of three were 'held up' at the Johor immigration checkpoint last Saturday evening, pending a demand from a Malaysian immigration officer for a hongbao, or red packet.
The family had their passports endorsed and returned to them only after Mr Cai gave a hongbao containing $10, reported the Shin Min Daily yesterday.
Outraged by the incident, the transport company owner immediately tipped off the Chinese newspaper upon his return to Singapore.
Mr Cai and his wife were initially struck by the warm hospitality of the officer serving them at the Johor checkpoint, when he pulled up at one of the immigration booths at 8pm last Saturday.
The Malaysian officer, reportedly around the age of 30, smiled and greeted Mr Cai "gong xi fa cai" - a Mandarin phrase often used to wish another person prosperity in the year ahead - after receiving the family's passports.
The couple replied "happy new year", under the assumption that such exchange of greetings was common during the Chinese New Year period.
The immigration officer, however, continued to smile at Mr Cai for over ten minutes, holding on to the passports without inspecting or endorsing them.
Sensing something was amiss, Mr Cai then asked the officer if anything was wrong with the passports.
The officer said he had already wished Mr Cai "gong xi fa cai" and asked why there was no hongbao.
Although Mr Cai felt that the officer was being corrupt, he was worried of being put in a difficult position by the latter, as the passports were with him.
He took out $10 - the smallest note he had with him at the time - and slipped it into a hongbao before giving it to the officer.
After inspecting the contents, the officer nodded to Mr Cai and proceeded to stamp the family's passports, before returning them with a word of thanks.
Mr Cai hopes to remind Singaporeans to be prepared to handle such opportunistic immigration officers when they visit Malaysia.
Hongbaos, which contain token sums of money, represent good fortune and are given out to children and unmarried adults during the Chinese New Year festive period.
