KOTA KINABALU: Only 8,403 travel documents were issued to Indonesian nationals who were among 115,045 registered under the statewide 5P programme that ended last week.
They included 2,634 passports, 127 travel documents in lieu of passport and 5,642 other documents issued during the Indonesian Consulate General’s outreach programme in Lahad Datu and Sandakan between July 17 and Aug 15.
Disclosing the figures yesterday, Indonesian Consul General in Sabah, Soepeno Sahid, said they are already feeling the pressure since these documents must be cleared within the next two months.
Soepeno said to date, their existing 20-member staff team at the headquarters in Karamunsing could not cope with the workload.
“As such, we have applied for about 40 more staff from our head office in Jakarta to assist us at the headquarters here in processing and issuing passports and temporary travel documents to our nationals here,” he told reporters after observing their national flag hoisting ceremony at the Consulate General here to mark Indonesia’s 66th Independence Day, yesterday.
Soepeno said they have also applied for additional 67,000 passports and 10,000 travel documents in lieu of passport to add up to their remaining stock of documents.
“We hope to carry out our next reaching out programme and this time around, it will be done at the Genting Bukit Garam plantation in Sandakan between Aug 19 and 21, before moving to Tongod and Yapidmasin plantations in Telupid,” he said.
The Consulate, he said, encourages Indonesian nationals to come to its office to get the documents processed.
All they need to bring is a copy of the registration slip, confirmation letter of employment from the employer and a copy of the employer’s MyKad for verification, while those opting for the travel document in lieu of passport are only required to bring their registration slip for verification.
“Passports will only be issued to those who are employed or who possess guarantors. So they must show proof that they are employed to enable us to process their documents. And for those jobless and those who fail to secure any job, they must leave the state before the Malaysian government carries out the major crackdown against illegal immigrants,” he said.