PENALTY FOR LOSING PASSPORT TAKES EFFECT THIS YEAR

Those who lose them will be fined from RM200 to RM1,000

THE Immigration Department’s proposal to impose penalties on those who lose their passports is likely to take effect this year, said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.

Last month, the Immigration Department proposed a RM200 fine on those who lost their passport for the first time, RM500 for the second time and RM1,000 for subsequent times.

“This is not to punish, but to remind Malaysians to be more responsible with their passports.

“This will likely come into effect this year.”

Last year, the Immigration Department had barred more than 700,000 people from leaving the country, with student loan defaulters and bankrupts being the bulk of those on the travel blacklist.

Mustafar reiterated that the National Higher Education Fund Corp, the Insolvency Department and the Inland Revenue Board were updating their lists of defaulters and bankrupts regularly to allow Immigration officers to enforce the travel ban at the country’s international gateways.

Asked about the progress of discussions on the US Visa Waiver Programme for Malaysian passport holders, Mustafar said: “The US Visa Waiver Programme discussion is ongoing. The talks have always been positive and continues to be so.”

In 2014, Malaysia had expressed its desire to participate in the programme during talks between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and then US president Barack Obama when he visited Malaysia.

The programme allows visitors to enter and stay in the US without a visa for a maximum of 90 days for tourism and business purposes.