I would like to add to the letter, ‘Can’t renew identity card’, published in the Opinion page on November 12, by saying that at present, the only way to renew the identity card is through walk-ins.
With the ticket counter opening at 6.30am, the public has to queue for hours beforehand to stand a chance at getting their identity cards renewed.
I was there two days ago, and the numbers finished just past 9am, leading to dozens going home empty-handed.
Even for those of us fortunate enough to get a number, it was another few hours before we were attended to.
Knowing that there is a massive load of people who are looking to renew their identity cards, should the authorities not make sure to assign the more competent officers to man the counters?
For years, the authorities have been talking about turning Brunei into a Smart Nation.
Other countries have already been embracing fully the technology available and preparing for the digital reality that is in the foreseeable future, yet we are still lagging behind. We are still placing so much importance on paperwork instead of working on shifting all procedures online.
There will always be people who prefer to queue physically for applications of documents, which is fine; and it should remain an option for them.
However, for the younger generation, they would rather have these done in the comfort of their own homes, and such a shift in mindset should not be ignored either.
Exhausted Citizen
