Adib Noor
The Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD) have taken measures to improve efficiency and resolve the matter of long queues for services, said Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman during yesterday’s 19th Legislative Council (LegCo) session.
LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof raised the matter yesterday.
In response, the minister said the issues faced by the INRD which caused long queues for services last December have been resolved, particular passport and identification card (IC) services.
For IC services, more officers have been tasked to process applications and more counters have been opened for the service.
Opening hours have also been extended, he said, with services open from 7.30am to 7pm.
For passport services, the minister said the department have appointed a company to provide the maintenance of existing passport printers, and are now is able to produce more passports with three existing printers.
He added that number of work shifts has been increased in order to produce more passports on time. “Through these initiatives, most matters have been resolved and the demand fulfilled.”
The minister said the department is expecting three new passport printers, which are currently being tested. If cleared, it will double the production capacity of passports.
