The prospect of travelling abroad is undeniably thrilling for many Malaysians, offering a chance to immerse oneself in the allure and richness of another culture, whether with family or for business. However, there's a shared frustration among Malaysians when it comes to renewing their passports.
While the process is often straightforward for men, it's a different story for women. Recently, a local influencer and a woman recounted their ordeal of being asked to trim or remove their eyelashes for their passport photos, highlighting a troubling aspect of the experience.
Read: M’sian Influencer Told To Trim Eyelash Extensions When Renewing Passport
Read: Woman Shares Painful Experience Of Needing To Pluck Eyelash Extensions To Renew Passport
This time, another woman encountered a setback while trying to renew her passport. Unlike previous incidents involving fake lashes, her ordeal stemmed from her proficiency in Bahasa Melayu.
Immigration Officer Refuses Woman To Renew Passport
As we're aware, Malaysia's official language is Bahasa Melayu, but given our diverse cultural landscape, English and various Chinese dialects like Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hokkien are also widely spoken.
A recent incident shared by Facebook user Shiang Chern Saw shed light on how his elderly mother encountered difficulties renewing her passport at UTC Komtar in Penang. According to Saw, while his father faced no issues, his mother was unexpectedly barred from the renewal process because she was deemed not fluent enough in Bahasa Melayu.
Despite being instructed to return the next day to meet with another officer, Saw intervened and sought clarification on the rejection. Despite his mother's ability to count from 1 to 10 in Malay, the officer remained sceptical and went as far as asking her to identify objects in Bahasa Melayu, such as a calendar.
Despite these challenges, his mother's proficiency in Bahasa Melayu should not have been a barrier to passport renewal in Malaysia, a point Saw underscored in his Facebook post, sparking a discussion about language requirements in official transactions.
Tries To Explained His Mother’s Poor Proficiency In BM
Despite his mother's attempts to communicate in Bahasa Melayu, the officer remained adamant. Saw attempted to explain that his mother's limited proficiency in the language stemmed from her early departure from school due to their family's financial struggles. However, the officer remained unconvinced and insisted on rescheduling an interview session with the officer in charge the next day.
Frustrated by the ordeal, Saw eventually raised his voice and addressed the officer, saying:
“What does not being able to speak Malay have to do with passport renewal? What is your understanding or standard of being able to speak Malay? Does that mean one has to retake the exam for Malay or show his/her UPSR, SPM certificate?!”
As Saw continued to engage with the officer, she remained unresponsive, displaying an air of arrogance. The unfolding events drew the attention of other individuals at UTC, including those of different ethnic backgrounds who were also there to renew their passports. They too began questioning the rationale behind the rejection of passport renewal and the necessity for an interview.
Netizens Displeased At The UTC Officer’s Service
Netizens were understandably dismayed by the outcome of the situation, with many expressing their frustration after Saw revealed that he had to return to UTC the following day to renew his mother's passport. The comment section was filled with criticisms of the officers' treatment of his mother, condemning their behaviour as harsh and unjust.
Here’s some of the comments:
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, it's important to know that there is no legal requirement for you to be fluent in Bahasa Malaysia to renew your passport. This was confirmed by Lawyers for Freedom (LFL) director Zaik Malik.
It appears that UTC has developed a concerning trend of poor customer service and a tarnished reputation. Hopefully, this issue will be addressed effectively to ensure a seamless passport renewal process for Malaysians in the future.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media & various cross-references for context.
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