Immigration mulls penalty for losing passports

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians who lose their passports will soon be required to pay a fine, said Immigration Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.

He said the matter had been brought up in a recent meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and that it has been agreed in principle.

However, he said the date of implementation and the fine amount has yet to be finalised.

“The cost of making a passport is high and we also want the public to be more accountable and responsible for their passports.

“Compared with the loss of a MyKad, which requires you to pay a fine of RM100, RM300 and RM1,000 respectively for the first three times you lose them, there are no penalties for loss of passports at present,” he told the press after the department’s monthly assembly here yesterday.

He, however, said those who lose or damage their passports due to unavoidable circumstances, such as house fire and floods, would be exempted from the fine.

Meanwhile, Mustafar confirmed that the order to lift the blacklisting of graphic artist Fahmi Reza, which prohibited him from travelling abroad, had come from the police.

He said the travel ban imposed following police orders beginning March 31, 2016, was lifted on Jan 6.

“If the blacklisting was by us, then of course we have the power.

“But Fahmi was blacklisted by the police.”