Applicants getting their passports processed at the Immigration Department counter in UTC Kuching.
KUCHING: There is still no immediate solution in sight to the current shortage of passports in the country as it is a technical glitch faced by the printing company handling the matter.
Deputy Home Minister, Masir Kujat, however, hoped it could be resolved soon.
“I am very sorry, but I can’t comment on the matter now,” he said when contacted yesterday.
According to recent reports, Putrajaya had said a batch of 20,000 passports were delivered to the Immigration Department in Putrajaya, but a large number were found to be defective.
A biometric chip, supplied by a private firm Datasonic Group Bhd, is attached to each passport. The department issues an average of 220,000 passports a month.
When contacted, director of the State Immigration Department, Ken Leben, said Sarawak was still facing shortage of passports and the number supplied by Putrajaya was only 800 passports per week against the demand of about 1,000 a week.
He said on average, at least 300 applicants were recorded in Kuching, 200 in Miri and Sibu each and 100 in Bintulu.
During a random check at the Immigration Department counter in Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) Kuching at 3pm yesterday, only 18 passports were left and an officer at the counter said they might not have enough for the weekend.