M’sians in Australia face hardship over new passport polic

Discussions General
#1

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=30246

Friday, January 25th, 2008

Msians in Australia face hardship over new passport policy

MELBOURNE: Malaysians in Australia want the immigration authorities in Kuala Lumpur to rethink a new policy requiring them to go to the high commission in Canberra, to renew their passports and register a childs birth.

They say the new procedure which came into effect on Jan 1, is causing anxiety and hardship because of the considerable cost and time needed to make the trips to Canberra.

Malaysians in Darwin would have to fly about six hours to get to Canberra, via Melbourne or Sydney.

The return airfare could be up to A$850 depending on the travel season.

Accommodation (one night), food, taxi fare and other expenses could easily amount to about A$400 for a grand total of A$1,250.

Just imagine what the cost would be for a couple with two or more children. And they would have to take time off from work and studies, said a Malaysian expatriate who declined to be identified.

In the past, Malaysians Down Under needed just to fill in the relevant immigration forms, get them countersigned by a consulate official or a justice of peace and send them by registered mail to Canberra, along with the renewal fee and a self-addressed return paid envelope.

Although the new policy was posted on the Malaysian High Commission website some weeks ago, few were aware of it.

Take the case of Wendy Ng in Tasmania.

She has just graduated with a law degree and is desperately keen to spend Chinese New Year with her family in Klang.

I needed to renew my Malaysian passport and when I telephoned the high commission in Canberra to check what the fee was to renew my passport, I was shocked when told I had to go personally to Canberra, she told Bernama.

The return fare, accommodation and taxis will cost at least A$1,000. From Hobart, I would need to fly to Canberra, via Melbourne.

What if there is a computer problem at the high commission? I will need to spend more nights there. Im still a student. Im jobless. I do not have that kind money to spend to fly to Canberra.

I plead with the Malaysian authorities to do something about this so that I, and many others caught in this unforeseen situation, can celebrate the Chinese New Year with our families whom we have not seen for several years, she said.

A Malaysian in Adelaide said he heard about the new policy and rushed to the Malaysian Consulate in Adelaide where passport applications and other documents could be lodged, to be sent to Canberra as in the past. However, he was too late.

The consulate refused to handle his documents.

I wanted to renew my sons passport But now, I have to accompany him to Canberra because he is too young to travel alone.

This will set me back by at least A$2,000, said the man who did not want to be named.

Then, there is also the case of an accountant in South Australia who is married to a Sabahan who is very weak and scared to travel alone.

As she wants to visit her parents in Kota Kinabalu, she needs to renew her passport.

So, husband and wife will have to travel to Canberra at considerable cost.

The newly-appointed Malaysian immigration attache in Canberra, Nor Azura Yusof said she was aware of the problems faced by Malaysians with regard to the high travel and accommodation costs, and the vast distances they had to travel under the new policy.

I sympathise with them, but I have to follow the new procedure and I cannot break the rules, she said, adding that she would propose that a mobile unit be established to visit the various state capitals in Australia for immigration work.

This has to be approved by the immigration authorities in Kuala Lumpur and I have no idea how long this will take, she said.

High Commissioner Datuk Salim Hashim wants the mobile unit to be expedited to lessen the burden of Malaysians.

Last year, the high commission processed 3,177 passports with a total fee collection of A$331,611. Bernama

#2

Sounds familiar :smiley:

#3

Of course its familiar. Its MALAYSIA BOLEH!! :smiley:

#4

solution: move to NZ

#5

damn…better just go back msia do it…

#6

Typical malaysian government policy that always want to make the life of its citizen more miserable…

#7

i think our member stef had face it… :lol: :lol: :lol:

#8

Hmm…just like my case.

I have just returned from Canberra this morning and I have spent almost A$1,000 on flight and accommodation alone. Not to mention the taxi fare and also food.

The living expenses seems high there. Taxi fare is EXTREMELY expensive! I would recommend for those of you who intend to go there for holiday or renew your passport to rent a car and drive about with help of GPS?! You could probably save time and money.

I had to go to the high comm early in the morning (they open at 9am) to queue up to obtain a number for your turn to do the passport. (They only go by numbers only instead of your name!) Now, the officer in high comm would probably ask you to make reservation before you go. It is all crap anyway, it didn’t matter if you make any reservations. Just get there early to be in the first in the queue if you are in a hurry. There was this one lady complained that why she had to queue up when she had made her reservation at 10am. (Like I did too, I have made reservation at 10am that day but i was told to go early based on first come first serve policy :shock:)

Anyway, if you prepared all of your documents, it should only take you less than half an hour to finish up and you could only collect your passport and your receipt when you return to collect it from 3-4pm on the same day. So, having a car is handy because a short 5 min trip could cost up to A$20!!!

Oh! when pay for your fees please keep in mind to have exact change!! They nearly refuse to do mine because i was short of A$10 and they wouldn’t change for bigger note! (:roll:) …

And one other thing is that they only do the 32 pages passport for 5 years only.

So, mine is now done and dusted. Good luck to the rest who intend to renew theirs in Canberra. My advise is if you still have time, go home to renew it! It will be much easier!

#9

Now, the officer in high comm would probably ask you to make reservation before you go. It is all crap anyway, it didn’t matter if you make any reservations. Just get there early to be in the first in the queue if you are in a hurry. There was this one lady complained that why she had to queue up when she had made her reservation at 10am. (Like I did too, I have made reservation at 10am that day but i was told to go early based on first come first serve policy)

This is the famous Malaysian Double Standard.

#10

Here are some shots of the High Comm.

#11

All Malaysians can afford to do it if working in Australia
They are so rich, not like us in Malaysia only RM 600 gaji minimum wage

#12

[quote=“Datuk_big_boss”]All Malaysians can afford to do it if working in Australia
They are so rich, not like us in Malaysia only RM 600 gaji minimum wage[/quote]

well the passport renewal fee is reasonable, but the travel + etc cost is just too much. it’s just ridiculous to spend over 1k AUD to renew a passport.

#13

That’s a great idea…dunno why people like australia so much…NZ is ten time better…Aus has too many deadly spiders and snakes…things that crawl up your bed and bite you…hate spiders!!!

#14

Don’t ■■■■■ … they freely chose to be astronaut-Malaysians, contributed nada to the motherland and now they want the whole cake and it all at the same time. A little pain once every 5 years should not be too big a price to pay.

The High Com means well with this new rule, for the sake of security, wanting to ensure that documents and applicants relate and are not bogus. Malaysians abroad having a great time are really ‘cry-baby’ and it’s time they look beyond their own comfort!

#15

With that kind of mentality well it’s no wonder people choose to forgo their Malaysian nationality instead…

#16

And so they should! You don’t think the M’sian gov’t is indirectly insinuating the same with this new rule? The ‘unfair hardship’ arising is the least of the gov’t’s concerns, and it will continually make the process more unpalatable in the days to come. It knows that perhaps as many as 90% of these affected M’sians are non-malays! It’s a lot lot easier to shaft them, and more satisfying too!

#17

@Stef!

u in aussie oso gar?! which part now?

#18

IF that’s the intention, I would think the government is pathetic.

#19

[quote=“jkrmiri”]Don’t b*tch … they freely chose to be astronaut-Malaysians, contributed nada to the motherland and now they want the whole cake and it all at the same time. A little pain once every 5 years should not be too big a price to pay.

The High Com means well with this new rule, for the sake of security, wanting to ensure that documents and applicants relate and are not bogus. Malaysians abroad having a great time are really ‘cry-baby’ and it’s time they look beyond their own comfort![/quote]

astronaut-Malaysia, was a free ticket for a holiday in Space,
to show d World how to make teh terak?!

expatriate-Malaysia, is a student, entrepeneur or migrant worker,
commiting them-selves to acheiving a better quality of life.

many Malaysians are opening their eyes, to the advantages offered in today’s migrant global work-force & a lot of these ppl ARE Malays
(without the bigoted/ignorant opinions) who contribute back to their kampungs via family ties & are very proud of their heritage.
many of my peers are from Miri who are now working abroad & contributing back to this town.

sadly some ppl see acheivments & progress as dirty words.

Malaysia’s Government is right in tightening up security procedures,
in such a World, & can only be hoped that with advent of better
procedures & with technical advances, that passports,etc., will again become easier for ligitimate ppls to obtain.

#20

Does this new rule apply worldwide? Or they picked only Aust. because it has the largest concentration of M’sians?