PUTRAJAYA: A new method to process passports faster is among the initiatives being mulled by the Home Ministry and Immigration Department, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
“The department is studying a new way to issue passports where applicants who need to travel within a month can have their application approved in three days or less.
“For those without a need to travel within the one-month period, their applications will be processed within 30 working days,” said the Home Minister, who had his first official meeting with the Immigration Department yesterday at its Putrajaya headquarters.
“These are the same standards practised by developed nations such as Canada, the United States and Australia,” he added.
Saifuddin said he understood that some places still have long queues due to the high number of applications.
“The department will always strive to learn and to implement best practices from other countries.
“We are committed to giving the best service and easing the application process,” he added.
The department said it issued 2,271,736 passports up until Nov 30. Of that, 987,396 were via online applications.
A total of 6,189 passports have been printed but have yet to be collected.
On the ongoing restructuring efforts within the department, Saifuddin said that expanded career progressions are among the issues that will be addressed.
As of now, around 97% of existing staff are listed as support personnel. The department currently has 14,142 personnel from the available 15,560 postings.
“However, from this, there are those among them who have high academic qualifications – yet their career progression and promotion opportunities are limited,” said Saifuddin.
He added that current restructuring efforts have led to 285 new postings.
“These new postings will not bring about financial implications to the government. More opportunities for promotions and a wider career progression will be realised by this restructuring,” he said.
On the issue of foreign workers, the minister said that the department is not out to complicate matters.
“It would not make sense to have this department, which is responsible for foreign workers, to complicate things, which would then lead to negative implications on the country’s economy,” he said.
As at Nov 30, there are 1,391,624 foreign workers with valid work passes in the country.
“Between Jan 1 and Dec 4, there have been 403,869 applications to bring in workers and of, that 373,459 have been approved with the remaining 30,410 applications being processed,” he said.
Around 254,677 workers from the approved applications have already arrived. The rest are being held up due to various issues that are out of the department’s jurisdiction, he added – these include processes that needed to be done by the country of origin.
Speaking briefly on the video that allegedly showed detainees at the Kimanis detention centre in frail-looking condition, Saifuddin said he is aware of the video but it was unfair to “overplay” the issue before the full facts have been ascertained.
“We have to see the subjects involved, see if they practise a good lifestyle or if they were involved in activities that have led to their bodies to look like that,” he said, adding that it was possible they were already in such a condition before being detained.
