Twenty-six-thousand passports over 10 years: who approved this? — Lim Lip Eng
AUGUST 13 — I welcomed Malaysia’s 10-year passport when it was introduced on July 1. It was a good policy me...
On July 1, Malaysia introduced its 10-year passport, a policy aimed at simplifying life for citizens. However, the execution of this vision has come under scrutiny. The Immigration Department revealed that 26,000 of the 38,000 issued passports exceeded the 10-year validity period due to unused validity from previous passports being added.
This issue led to check-in problems for some holders at international airports. In response, the Immigration has ceased the practice and offered affected individuals free replacements, but this raises serious questions about the planning and testing process.
The Immigration Department's Director-General claims that passports exceeding 10 years do not violate International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. While this may be technically accurate, it overlooks the fact that a passport should function smoothly for Malaysian travelers. This defense raises the question of why the practice was abruptly halted and affected individuals offered replacements if the issue was deemed acceptable.
The department admits that certain airline systems only recognize passports valid for up to 10 years. It is puzzling that this was not identified before the issuance of 26,000 passports. Critics argue that the mistake demands an independent audit, full disclosure of replacement costs, and accountability for those responsible. Singapore caps adult passports at 10 years, with unused validity extending only for five-year passports, while Australia does not carry over unused validity to renewed passports.
This blunder has resulted in financial losses for Malaysia, with taxpayers bearing the cost of free replacements for wasted passport booklets, microchips, and administrative overhead. Innocent citizens now face the burden of taking time off work and queuing at immigration counters to rectify a mistake they did not cause. The Home Ministry must order an immediate independent audit to determine who proposed, tested, and approved this policy, and disclose the full cost of replacing the affected passports.
If negligence or serious incompetence is found, those responsible must be held accountable immediately. The Malaysian government cannot hide behind technical explanations; they must face the consequences of their actions.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
