KOTA KINABALU, July 12 — The Home Affairs Ministry said it would issue passports valid for 10 years.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the date for issuing the passports will be announced soon after studies on the matter.
“Are we ready? Yes... after comprehensive studies, we have decided to move forward with the issuance of 10-year passports,” he told a press conference after officiating the opening of a passport office at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) here today.
Saifuddin Nasution said this initiative gives Malaysians the option to choose between passports that are valid for five or 10 years.
He said the Immigration Department has conducted several feasibility studies to evaluate Malaysia’s readiness for such passports, following similar practices by other nations.
He noted that the move is not new, as countries like Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, the United States, and Italy, also issue passports with a validity of 10 years.
Saifuddin Nasution said Malaysian passport holders enjoy visa exemptions in nearly 183 countries, placing the country in the top 12 globally, according to this year’s data from the International Air Transport Association.
He said immigration clearance lanes at Tawau Airport have been increased to six to facilitate passenger movement on the east coast of Sabah.
— Bernama
