Immigration chiefs say new system will speed up applications, renewals and ease crowding at counters.

PETALING JAYA: Online passport applications and renewals will resume next month, after testing of a new system that will be safe and more efficient, Immigrations officials said.

Mustafar Ali, the new director-general of Immigration, said the system had several new features and security and efficiency had been enhanced.

“The online passport system is not new, it was put on hold because there were some technical issues that needed to be overcome,” he said according to Star Online. “It is now safer, more efficient and will ease crowding at the counters,” he was quoted as saying.

The department’s security and passport director, Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad, said new software had been installed to overcome technical problems in uploading applicants’ photographs, and a biometric registration process installed to verify the applicants.

Tests would be carried out before the system is brought back on line, the report said.

Last week, the Immigration Department faced a barrage of criticism because of delays at passport counters. The department said it would need six months to sort out problems with a new security chip embedded in new passports.

Resource : Free Malaysia Today