PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN CHECK STATUS VIA SMS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysian passport holders can check their
status via the short messaging service (SMS) beginning next month, Immigration
Department Director-General Mahmood Adam said Tuesday.

He said the service was the first of its kind in the world and the number
would be announced soon.

Currently the public could now check their passport status from the
department's website at www.imi.gov.my, he said.

About 500,000 Malaysian passport holders had been barred from travelling
abroad for various offences like bankruptcy, court cases, income tax defaults
and criminal cases, he told Bernama.

Since the blacklist was posted on the Internet three weeks ago, some 500
discharged bankrupts had applied to clear their names, he added.

Mahmood said the department had taken steps to make the department more
customer-friendly with the public being served courteously, efficiently and
professionally.

It had also beefed up its staff strength with 1,368 new officers joining the
department in the last six months, bringing the total to 12,168, he said, adding
that 36 per cent of the new recruits were non-Malays.

The department had also increased the number of non-Malays in the senior
positions and introduced a seven-day work schedule at all its state headquarters
since last month.

Mahmood said it started reminding passport holders seven months before the
expiry of their passports as part of efforts to give value-added service and to
be more responsive to public complaints.

Reminding the staff to serve the public with dedication, sincerity and
honesty to safeguard the country's image and integrity,he said he would not
hesitate to recommend dismissal of errant officers who keep making mistakes and
bringing disrepute to the department.
-- BERNAMA