PUTRAJAYA – The operating hours at six passport-issuing offices and Immigration Department counters will be extended until 10pm from this Wednesday, while the other six will open until 6pm.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said this was one of the measures taken to improve the department, especially to address problems related to the application and renewal of Malaysian international passports, apart from increasing the number of staff to handle the application process.
The six premises with extended operating hours until 10pm are the Immigration Department offices in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Negri Sembilan and Melaka, while those in Penang, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis will operate until 6pm.
All passport issuance offices in Peninsular Malaysia will also operate on Saturdays from 8am to 12.30pm beginning May 14, Khairul told a press conference here today.
He added that all immigration counters at Urban Transformation Centres in the peninsula would open until 10pm.
According to Khairul, there has been an increase of about 40% in the number of international passports issued compared with last year, with 165,449 being issued during the period from April 1 to May 6 this year compared with 111,931 last March.
He said the department had also provided a special counter to facilitate passport applications for prospective Haj pilgrims who had received offer letters to perform the pilgrimage.
“They can come to any passport issuing office by bringing the offer letter from TH (Lembaga Tabung Haji),” he said.
On the department’s online appointment system, Khairul said it would be abolished at all passport issuing offices nationwide from this Wednesday.
Prior to this, it was reported that the department would abolish the system for all passport issuing offices outside the Klang Valley from May 9, and in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor Baru, Negri Sembilan and Melaka from May 16. – Bernama, May 9, 2022
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