Passports in a jiffy
All yours: Aloyah presenting the passport to Andrew while Dr Mohd Rameez looks at some documents.
SEVENTEEN-year-old student Andrew Choong was the first person to receive a Malaysian passport using the polycarbonate technology soon after the opening of the Malaysian immigration office in Melbourne, Australia, on Monday.
Choong, who studies at the Glen Waverley Secondary School was amazed at how quickly he received his new passport.
“It took just about 10 minutes to get my passport today, but three years ago it took my dad (Choong Kai Wai), seven hours to drive from Melbourne to Canberra to renew our passports,’’ said Andrew.
“I am impressed by how fast it can be done in Melbourne now,’’ he said.
In presenting Andrew his newly-minted passport, deputy director-general of Immigration Datuk Aloyah Mamat said the new technology would make it impossible for passports to be counterfeited.
Aloyah, who opened the immigration office at the premises of the Malaysian Consulate General in Melbourne, said it was the 26th Malaysian immigration office worldwide.
“This proves the Malaysian Government’s effort and commitment in wanting to provide effective and efficient services to all Malaysians overseas,’’ she said.
Aloyah said the new facilities would enable an applicant to get the passport and visa documents on the same day.
The new Malaysian immigration consul Nawal Mohamed Amin, said the move from Canberra to Melbourne had been “in planning” for several months.
“I think the Melbourne office will be well patronised by Malaysians from other parts of Australia. There had been many requests for us to relocate to Melbourne,’’ she said.
Consul-general Datuk Dr Mohd Rameez Yahaya said based on information from the Australian authorities, there were 137, 690 Malaysians living in Australia in June 2011.
“This was 29% more than in 2006, with growth projections of about six percent each year, making Malaysians the ninth largest migrant community in Australia,’’ he said.
“The number of Malaysian students in Australia has increased from 14,000 in 2011 to an estimated 21,000 in 2013.’’
According to Dr Mohd Rameez, about half a million Australians visited Malaysia last year, making it “our eighth top tourist-generating market’’.
The Australians contributed about A$20.2 bil (RM59 bil) to Malaysian tourism. — Bernama
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Education/2013/12/08/Passports-in-a-jiffy-By-NEVILLE-DCRUZ.aspx