Immigration DG: Passport renewal not tied to BM proficiency

Immigration Department Director-General (DG) of , Dato’ Ruslin bin Jusoh, has clarified that Malaysian citizens cannot be denied passport renewal solely based on their proficiency in Bahasa Melayu (BM), the national language.

The clarification came in response to a recent incident at the Penang Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), where an officer reportedly rejected an elderly woman’s passport renewal application due to her lack of BM proficiency.

Incident at Penang UTC sparks controversy

Facebook user SC Saw recounted the incident involving his 60-year-old mother, who faced difficulties during the renewal process.

“We would like to state that the applicant in question has already renewed and received her passport on April 22.

We would also like to assert that immigration officers are disallowed from rejecting any applications just because the applicant lacks proficiency in the national language,” said Ruslin.

“Nevertheless, I would like to clarify that in carrying out their duties, immigration officers will conduct random checks from several aspects to verify applications.

However, these checks need to be conducted professionally and courteously,” he added.

Immigration Dept commitment to service excellence

Ruslin assured the public of the department’s commitment to providing excellent service and reiterated adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Harapan Daily also revealed that Nur Zulfa binti Ibrahim, Director of Penang’s Immigration Department, addressed the incident, attributing it to a misunderstanding and reprimanding the officers involved.

The incident has sparked debate on social media platforms, with concerns raised regarding citizenship verification and passport issuance procedures.

Johari Kassim, special officer to the Minister of Home Affairs, confirmed that there is no ministry ruling barring citizens from passport applications based on BM proficiency.

In response to online scrutiny, Prof Dr Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar, a physiology lecturer at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), urged caution and evidence-based decision-making, noting the potential for identity fraud.

As the issue continues to garner attention, the Immigration Department remains committed to ensuring fair and efficient service delivery, regardless of language proficiency, in alignment with national policies.

The incident underscores the importance of clear communication and adherence to regulations in public service delivery, particularly concerning citizenship documentation processes.