MALAYSIANS who made online applications for passports renewal have been urged to collect the document within 90 days to avoid it being disposed of, Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said.

He said this was also in line with the regulations stipulated under the authority of the Immigration Department.

“It is not the under jurisdiction of the Immigration Department to deliver the passports to their owners although we acknowledge that there might be certain issues that lead to unclaimed passports,” he told reporters after the closing of the Kita Demi Negara programme at Dewan Astaka, Batu Kurau, Perak, today.

The Immigration Department had previously reported that as many as 2,600 passports that had been renewed via online application were unclaimed.

On today’s programme, Hamzah said more than 2,000 individuals have been registered as “Sahabat Kita Demi Negara” to act as the government’s eyes and ears, especially about issues involving national security.

He said they will enjoy various benefits including participation in various activities carried out by any security agency under the Home Ministry, adding that the membership is open to all groups, including school-going youth. – Bernama, July 24 2022.