Imposition of penalty for lost passport to follow penalty for lost ID – Jazlan

JOHOR BAHRU: The imposition of penalty on those who lost their passports will be implemented according to the concept of penalty for lost of identity card, according to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

“We will follow the concept of penalty for lost of identity card. We’ll set how much they have to pay for the first offence and the amount will be higher and higher for the second and subsequent offences.”

He said this to reporters after visiting Chinese Media Office in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration, here yesterday.

Prior to this, the Immigration Department proposed for penalty to be imposed on those who lost their passports.

Its director-general, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali, said the proposal had been brought to the attention of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Home Minister, and had also been approved in principle.

Nur Jazlan, however, said the penalty rate was still being discussed and had yet to be finalised.

He said the ministry viewed seriously the issue of lost passport to prevent passport selling activities.

“The Malaysian Passport is ranked fifth powerful passport in the world... it is the most sought after passport, including by criminals” he said.