Wan Junaidi gives thumbs down to 10-year passport idea

 

An immigration services workers union recently mooted that validity periods for passports be extended to lighten their workloads.

PETALING JAYA: A proposal for 10-year passports has been met with scepticism from former deputy home minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who said it risked hurting the government’s bottom line and causing identification problems.

Less frequent renewals mean passport holders will have to pay application fees less often, which the government would need to assess so as to not lose money “over a fanciful idea,” he told FMT.

“Plus, particularly for people of a certain age, their looks change so much within 10 years,” he added, which could make matching people to their passport photos difficult.

Last month, a union of immigration staff floated the idea of making passports valid for up to 10 years. Union president Ajeet Singh said this move would offer the staff some respite, in light of their extensive working hours.

However, Wan Junaidi said the 10-year validity period could result in the workforce being reduced in half as fewer people would be needed to process the lower number of applications.

However, he urged the government to study any proposal brought up by the union. “The officers know better, and the union knows better. The government still has to look into (their calls) seriously,” he said.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng supported the 10-year term, as it would ease the administrative burden on citizens, civil servants and government agencies.

“It also enhances convenience for local travellers, as they won’t need to go through the renewal process as frequently,” he said.

Lim, who is a member of the parliamentary select committee for security, said it can also lead to cost savings.

“The government would need to process fewer renewal applications, saving on personnel, infrastructure and other operational costs,” he added. - FMT