PETALING JAYA: Malaysians have hailed the implementation of fully online passport applications and renewals at three immigration offices in Selangor from June 1.
Commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s announcement that the Kajang, Kelana Jaya and Wangsa Maju immigration offices will go fully online, they said the move makes it more convenient for them.
Jeyaraj Ramalinggam, 56, said he works from 9am to 5pm and his hour-long lunch break is not enough to complete the task of renewing his passport at the immigration office.
“Previously, I had to take a half day off to get to the immigration office earlier than its operating hours starting from 8am.
“I used to wait for three hours before I got my passport. But now with the online renewal, life is much easier,” he said.
An office worker, who wants to be identified only as Wong, 29, said apart from the long wait at the immigration office, she also had to struggle to get a parking space.
“I would go to the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) to renew my passport because the process there was faster, even though the Kelana Jaya office is much closer to where I live.
“However, parking at UTC is extremely difficult, especially during peak hours. With the convenience of the online service, I can save time and reduce stress by renewing my passport from home.”
Chen Mei Sing, 26, said her 79-year-old grandmother has problems standing for too long due to her age and an old injury from an accident.
“When my grandmother wanted to renew her passport at the immigration office, she had to stand in queues for a long time. By the time her passport was ready, she would be drained.
“She didn’t get special treatment even though she’s a senior citizen. Facilities there at the time were insufficient to accommodate the many applicants at the office.
“However, since applicants aged 13 to 59 could no longer make applications at counter services, fewer people are at the immigration offices. Of course, the renewal process takes time, but at least, my grandmother would have a place to sit and rest,” she said.
Saifuddin Nasution had said the implementation of the fully online applications at the three offices will ensure convenience for applicants.
He added that as of May 12, the Immigration Department had issued 1.67 million passports, 464,725 of which were obtained through online applications.
