KUALA LUMPUR: More than 30,000 new Malaysian international passports have been issued since its introduction on July 1.
The new passport allows Malaysians aged 18 and above to choose between a five or 10-year validity period, with the five-year option priced at RM200 and the other at RM350.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said a total of 36,928 passports had been issued as of July 13.
“Of the total, 23,491 were for the five-year passports, while 13,437 were for the 10-year passport.
“The rollout continues smoothly despite a slight increase in demand,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Zakaria said passport applications at Immigration offices nationwide have remained orderly, with applicants spending between 45 minutes and 90 minutes to complete the process.
“We advise Malaysians that there is no immediate need to replace the previous version of the passport that is still valid for more than six months.
“We encourage the public to check the department’s online portal to find out which passport offices have begun issuing the new passport version,” he added.
Previously, Zakaria said the new passport will be rolled out in phases across 71 offices nationwide.
The upgraded travel document is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the security of national identity documents, in line with Malaysia’s status as having one of the world’s most powerful passports.
He said the new passport features 94 security elements, up from 49 in the current version, making it more secure and difficult to forge.
Among the enhanced features are holographic elements, ultraviolet (UV) printing, hidden visual elements and specialised forensic security features.
Malaysia is among the earliest countries to introduce the ePassport system, having done so in 1998.
The new passport complies with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and incorporates updated security technologies, including holograms, UV printing, latent images and guilloche patterns.
Meanwhile, an immigration sweep targeting an enclave in Network School based in Johor’s Forest City found that all 266 individuals screened possessed valid travel documents, with authorities continuing investigations to ensure full compliance with Malaysian laws.
Zakaria said Tuesday’s joint operation with the police, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and local councils, screened nationals from 40 countries.
“While initial checks showed all individuals hold valid documents, further investigations are underway to verify entry requirements and ensure no breaches of the Immigration Act 1959/63,” Zakaria said in a statement yesterday.
