A Singaporean woman, Atalia Chua, was detained in Johor Bahru for seven days and six nights following an argument with a Malaysian customs officer on August 7. Chua, 36, claims she was harassed and pressured to sign a form in Malay during her detention. Her release was facilitated after her brother contacted Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
## Background
Atalia Chua shared her ordeal in a TikTok video and detailed the incident to Fathership. She arrived at Johor’s Bangunan Sultan Iskandar checkpoint at 8:40 am on August 7. After her biometric scan failed twice, she approached a counter where an “aggressive” male officer informed her that the counter was closed. When Chua questioned how a woman had previously used the same counter, the officer became verbally abusive and aggressive, shouting at her in a mix of Malay and English.
## Passport confiscated
Chua threatened to film the officer if he continued shouting. Initially, the officer responded with a smile and a ‘peace’ sign but soon demanded her passport. When Chua refused, he obtained it from another officer and walked into an office with it. Chua followed him.
## Told her to delete video
At the customs office, Chua was told she could leave if she deleted the video, but she refused. She was then informed she would be detained. An officer covertly took a photo of her and raised his fist in a threatening manner when she confronted him. Chua eventually agreed to delete the video, but her phone was confiscated for “forensics.” She was strip-searched by female officers who made derogatory remarks about her appearance.
## Signing of forms
Chua was asked to sign forms in Malay detailing her particulars, possessions, and dates of detainment. She refused, requesting an English version. She emphasised that the offence she was charged with was not explained to her. Despite her refusal to sign, she was detained.
## Detained for 6 more days
Chua was detained for six more days, sharing a cell with three other women from Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia. Male officers would come to the cell, calling her “Singapore” instead of by name. On August 8, she was informed of her offence: failure to comply with the officer-on-duty. She insisted on making a phone call before giving a statement, but the officers refused.
## Brother called
On August 9, Chua’s brother, Elijah, contacted MFA after realising she hadn’t texted their mother for three days. MFA contacted the embassy in Malaysia and found that Chua had been detained. Elijah attempted to visit her but was turned away as it was after working hours. The next day, Chua was allowed to call Elijah, who informed her that the officers claimed she had been “rude and uncooperative.” On August 12, Elijah visited her and advised her to sign the forms for her release. Chua was released the next day at 4 pm with a warning letter, having spent six nights in detention.
## “Very, very, very angry”
Chua expressed her anger over being denied phone calls, especially since her mother often worries about her. Her mother became ill during her detention, exacerbating Chua’s frustration. Despite the harrowing experience, she noted that the detainees were treated relatively well, with clean cells and basic food. Some officers were “upright and principled” in their treatment of detainees. Chua concluded that the experience was a humbling and life-changing lesson.
## Related incidents
This incident is not isolated. In June 2011, two Singaporean women were detained and strip-searched in Johor Bahru after being accused of entering Malaysia illegally. More recently, influencer Sabrina Sim experienced a similar ordeal, being trapped in Johor Bahru for four days after losing her passport. These incidents highlight ongoing issues faced by Singaporeans at the Johor Bahru checkpoint.
