Malaysia says residents at tech commune run by ex-Coinbase exec have valid travel documents

Malaysia's Immigration Department said on Wednesday that members of a "digital nomad" community run by U.S. investor Balaji Srinivasan had valid travel documents, a day after authorities announced a probe into claims that Israelis were among them in violation of local laws.

The investigation came after some social media users alleged that The Network School, founded by the former Coinbase chief technology officer in 2024, included participants from Israel who had entered Malaysia with passports of other countries.

Muslim-majority Malaysia, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, bars entry of Israeli passport holders as the countries do not have diplomatic relations. However, it does not have specific laws barring Israelis from traveling on second-country passports.

The immigration department said it had inspected 266 foreigners from 40 countries and found they had valid documents, though further checks were ongoing to ensure compliance with all other entry requirements and related laws.

"(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," its Director-General Zakaria Shaaban said in a statement.

The Network School is described on its website as a "frontier community of techno-optimists" aimed at "turning internet communities into physical startup societies".

Srinivasan has said the community was based "near Singapore" but authorities confirmed on Wednesday it is located on Forest City, a sprawling $100-billion development on reclaimed land in Malaysia's Johor state.

Reuters

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