Immigration Dept: Congestion at High Commission in Singapore will be resolved

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The congestion at the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore will be resolved, says the Immigration Department.

Its director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said that it will station eight officers in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department at the High Commission starting next week to speed up the passport documentation process there.

"Currently, we have five personnel there and eight more officers will come to help them. Action is being taken to resolve the congestion," he said when speaking to reporters after overseeing an enforcement operation at Jalan Imbi on Saturday (March 20) morning.

Khairul Dzaimee said the congestion at the High Commission was caused by a technical glitch and damage to one of the passport printers there.

He also attributed the problem to a sharp rise in the number of walk-in passport applicants who did not make a prior appointment before coming.

"We have advised them (Malaysians in Singapore) to renew their passport online but they still opt to come (walk-in). We give priority to those who want to renew their work permits as they cannot leave (Singapore).

Online passport applications will be processed and printed within four to five weeks, ” he said.

On Friday (March 19) Khairul Dzaimee said in a statement said that the Department was waiting for approval from the Singapore Foreign Ministry to allow staff of Datasonic Berhad to enter the country to carry out repair work. - Bernama