Five Malaysians are demanding an apology from the Immigration Service. The group says they wanted to take a one-week vacation in New Zealand. Instead they were fingerprinted, photographed, questioned and deported.

One News reports allegations that NZIS officials were unnecessarily heavy-handed during the 20 hours they detained the four men and one woman.

The Malay Mail reports that businessmen M. Gunaselan, 30, R. Venugopal, 29, and A. Thanggaiah, 30, and supermarket operator R. Manivannan, 28, and his wife P. Gengammal, 31, were deported.

Gengammal said the incident had ruined her honeymoon. She had married Manivannan last month.

“I cried and was so distressed when we were detained. I was separated from my husband for six hours. I was put in another lock-up with another Malaysian woman,” she said.

The Immigration Service says the group was refused entry because officials did not believe they were genuine tourists.