Malaysia’s Immigration Department announced that all 266 members of the tech commune, The Network School, have valid travel documents. This statement came on July 15, 2026, amid ongoing investigations into possible violations by Israeli passport holders.
Background on The Network School and Legal Scrutiny
The department will conduct further investigations into any matters that raise suspicions or if there is new information regarding misuse of identity, travel documents, immigration facilities or violations of permit conditions.
Zakaria Shaaban, Director-General, Immigration Department
- 266 foreigners from 40 countries inspected by authorities.
- Continued checks to ensure compliance with local immigration laws.
The investigation was prompted by social media claims alleging that some residents had entered Malaysia using passports from other countries. Malaysia, a nation with no diplomatic ties to Israel, prohibits entries from Israeli passport holders. However, the law does not explicitly prevent entry via alternative nationalities.
Founded by Balaji Srinivasan, a former executive at Coinbase, The Network School is positioned as a 'frontier community of techno-optimists.' It aims to convert online communities into tangible startup societies and is situated in Forest City, a vast development in Johor, Malaysia.