New security-enhanced passports statewide next month
SIBU: All Immigration Department offices statewide, including at Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs), are expected to start issuing new security enhanced passports next month.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Masir Kujat said the department’s headquarters in Putrajaya has already sent the new passports to its Kuching office for distribution across Sarawak.
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafa Ali had previously said the Kuching and Sri Aman offices were already issuing the new version passports.
“The exercise will be carried out in stages across the department’s offices throughout Sarawak. After Kuching and Sri Aman, we will move on to Limbang, Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and other offices including passport issuing centres in UTCs,” Masir told thesundaypost when contacted yesterday.
“Hopefully, this can be done within the next one month or so.”
The Sri Aman Member of Parliament said the latest versions could help reduce passport theft.
“If someone steals this passport, he cannot tamper nor forge it as it is equipped with state-ofart security features,” Masir explained.
He reminded passport holders to take greater care of their travel documents, adding those who lost their passports due to fires, floods or theft must immediately file police reports.
The enhanced security features include a polycarbonate biodata page with a chip and a passport authenticity verification feature that can only be detected with ultraviolet light.