Originally Posted by
headinclouds
Autogate: U.S. citizens who registered for a Malaysia Digital Arrival Card can use the autogate at some Malaysian airports. The autogate lets travelers scan their passport and walk through an automated gate for immigration clearance. U.S. citizens using the autogate will not get an entry stamp in their passport.
If you entered Malaysia using an autogate and don't have an entry stamp, explain this to the local authorities you meet. U.S. citizens who cannot prove their nationality and legal status may be arrested. Be prepared to show your passport with a valid entry stamp.
To me it seems that NOT using the autogates is the best way based upon the info above. Or is the information overly cautious? What are real world experiences?
By law, everyone has to carry some form of identification with you at all times in Malaysia (along with most other countries in Asia). Having that said, unless you look/dress like a migrant worker and acting suspiciously, authorities will not ask for an ID unless you are suspected of committing a crime. It is very rare for a police to check for your ID on the streets even as a local (other than police road blocks if you are driving). The e-gates for foreigners are not new and I can imagine most, if not all, police are aware that a lot of tourists (including mainland Chinese) can enter Malaysia using the e-gates (without a passport stamp).