Queue numbers for consular services are issued at the Malaysian High Commission's guard house and subject to availability. - GOOGLE MAPS
SINGAPORE: The High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore has caught some Malaysians by surprise when it suddenly announced on Monday (Feb 26) that it would limit its consular counter services to 70 cases a day.
The change took effect on Feb 27.
Queue numbers, which are subject to availability, are issued at the guard house from 8am, the High Commission said in a notice dated Feb 26 on its website. The notice was shared on its Facebook page that day.
The affected services include birth registration, marriage registration, document attestation and death registration.
The sudden announcement has left some Malaysians concerned and annoyed over the inconvenience that the move brings.
“I don’t understand why (the High Commission) make an announcement just a day before (the implementation). I came yesterday, then I can’t get my thing done. I came today then now here the 70 (cases) quota,” one person using the handle Gxf Cai commented on the High Commission’s Facebook page on Feb 27 after getting turned away.
Gxf Cai added that another trip had to be made the next day and a queue No. 49 was received after half an hour of wait.
Gxf Cai later told The Straits Times that the queue was mixed with people who needed consular services and other services, so those at the far end of the line would not know if they would be among the lucky 70 until their turn comes.
“People might take leave from work to get this done, but they can’t get the number and need to come another day, and yet you won’t know whether you can secure the slot or not,” said Gxf Cai.
Some other Malaysians wondered if appointments could be made online.
“Any online appointment booking service? What if you make a trip down to find out all 70 numbers have (been) issued for that day?” asked Facebook user Miracle Holmes.
Some Malaysians, however, said they are unaffected by the change.
Senior storekeeper Tan Tiam Lai has been working in Singapore for about 30 years. He rents a room here and returns to his Johor Baru home once every three to five days.
Tan said he usually applies for services such as passport renewal online and returns to Johor Baru to run his errands.
“It is more convenient for me to get some of these services in Malaysia,” the 49-year-old told ST.
There are 1.13 million Malaysian migrants in Singapore as at 2022, according to numbers given in 2023 by Malaysia’s then Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar.
ST has contacted the High Commission for more information. - The Straits Times/ANN
