- MP Lim welcomed Malaysia's 10-year passport introduced on July 1 but said "a vision is only as good as its execution".
- Lim criticized the government for experimenting with passports and dismissing the problem as technical, calling it "a serious failure of planning and testing".
- Lim noted that 26,000 new passports valid for more than 10 years were issued due to carry-over of unused validity, and called for an independent audit to establish responsibility and reveal costs.
- Lim demanded accountability, saying "Twenty-six thousand passports were issued before the problem was corrected. Find out who approved it. Reveal the cost. Hold them accountable. Those responsible cannot hide behind technical explanations."
Malaysian MP Lim has condemned the government's handling of the 10-year passport rollout, labeling it a 'serious failure of planning and testing.' The immigration department issued 26,000 passports with over-10-year validity before halting the process due to confusion with airlines regarding travel requirements.1
Lim expressed his concerns, stating, “The government cannot experiment with Malaysians’ passports and then dismiss the problem as a technical issue.” He emphasized the need for accountability, urging the home ministry to conduct an independent audit to determine who approved the flawed policy and the financial implications of replacing the affected passports.
The immigration director-general, Zakaria Shaaban, acknowledged the confusion with airlines over the requirement for passports to have at least six months’ validity remaining for travel. He confirmed that there was no issue with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding passports exceeding 10 years’ validity. However, as a precaution, the department decided to limit new passport issuances to a maximum of 10 years while resolving the matter with ICAO and airlines.
Lim's criticism highlights the potential financial losses incurred by the country due to this oversight, stating, “Twenty-six thousand passports were issued before the problem was corrected. Find out who approved it. Reveal the cost. Hold them accountable.”
“Lim welcomed the July 1 introduction but warned 'a vision is only as good as its execution.' He called for an independent audit to identify who proposed, tested, and approved the policy, and to disclose the full cost of replacing affected passports.”
