On Her First Malaysia International Passport

It is very thoughtful of Malaysian Immigration to introduce new weekend business hour for passport new application and renewal, starting Nov 2010. They offer this extended business hour at 7 offices in Klang Valley; Damansara, Precint 15 Putrajaya, Port Klang, Wangsa Maju, Kajang, Subang and Shah Alam. Business hour is from 0730 to 1300 hours. Besides, their new online application and renewal service do decrease the number of at-counter-application visitors. The processes were simple :

1. Fill up the form with complete supporting documents (the latest form is simple, worry not).
2. Submit the form for process.
3. Pay for the summed amount.
4. Collect the ready passport (upon application approval), not more than 1 hour after payment made.

Nevertheless, our aim to reach there at 8.00am was indeed just a dream. We reached there at 9.30am, went straight to the studio booth and took the latest photo of both Mommy (my passport expired last year) and Eirsa. Not easy to capture a good passport photo of Eirsa but yeah, we managed. 4 pieces of passport photo were for RM15, and we were not given the softcopy. But perhaps if we brought along a thumbdrive and insisted for a copy, we might get ours with perhaps small amount of additional charge.

So then we went to the ambil-angka-giliran counter but given the form to be filled up first. Ye lah, dah kalau diberi nombor awal-awal tapi terkial-kial nak mengisi borang sampai tiba angka giliran, penat pula orang menunggu. Re-requested for the latest number, we were given the special shorter series as Eirsa's application was considered as special case. Groups of special applicants with special can-jump-queue treatments were :

• Warga emas of 60 years old and older
• OKU
• Kids less than 7 years old
• Pregnant ladies

We were called within 15 minutes after the number assignment and the documents submission processes completed in just 10 minutes (could be even earlier if Eirsa did not meronta-meronta bila Mommy nak pinjam jari untuk dapatkan cap jari domok nya itu).

Then we have to wait to be again called to make payment. It took around 30 minutes (after 1 complete episode of Ultraman and numerous Yusuf Taiyoob dates ads) to make payment as I believe payment could only be made if our application was approved. In fact, Eirsa's passport payment made 5 minutes earlier than mine (not at the same time). I made full payment for my renewed passport and half for new Eirsa's passport. If I'm not mistaken, half price for child with age 18 and less and perhaps for other groups to which I did not capture (sowi).

Since we were promised with 1-hour passport ready after payment made, we went for our heavy brunch first. Lapar. Worry not, there were many shop lots and restaurants at that area (tak perlu ke Alamanda pun) and we went to Ani Sup Utara. Yummy. But actually there was possibility for the passport to be ready in less than 1 hour and if you wanted, you could just wait there until your number was being called.

Her (and my ehem ehem) best photo.

Menunggu giliran sampai tergeliat badan

It's A Fact! : Pakistan requires a Muslim citizen who applies for a passport to subscribe to the following declaration :

1. I am a Muslim and believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad the last of the Prophets
2. I do not recognize any one whole claims to be a prophet in any sense of the word or any description whatsoever, after Prophet Muhammad or recognize such a claimant as a prophet or a religious reformer as Muslim.
3. I consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani to be an impostor prophet and an infidel and also consider his followers whether belonging to the Lahori, Qadiani or Mirzai groups, to be non-Muslims.

The declarationw as instituted by the Islamist military regime of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. The reason for the declaration was to prevent Ahmadis who are derogatorily called Qadianis from going to Mecca or Medina for Hajj or Umrah. (Source).