Renewing Malaysian Passport

There has been a few updates on the Malaysian Passport in recent years. A few changes that has seen the older passport being phased out and replaced with a more secured and high-tech version. This entry serves as a guideline for all of you that are looking to renew your passport (that has less than 6-months of validity).
Before You Go
Most important thing to obtain before you head over to the Immigration Department to renew your passport is to ensure you have the correct photo per requirement. Do take note that since April 2013, a new passport security measure has been implemented where the background of the photo is WHITE. You are required to wear a dark top (to frame the shoulder and chest). A decent photo shop should be aware of the requirement.

Requirement by Immigration Department Malaysia

Next is checking the opening hour of the Immigration Department that you want to go. If you are busy on weekday and can only find time on weekend, you be surprised that the Immigration are open on both Saturday and Sunday. This has been in affect since 2011. If you do not know, you know now!

Be informed

Please take note that this entry is about PASSPORT RENEWAL and the weekend for these places are NOT for fresh applications and only for renewal purposes.
My Experience
The last I renewed my passport was in late 2008 when I was required to travel to Milan for work. It was the old passport where the photos and details were imprinted and laminated at the inside front cover. It is also non-ICAO (pronounced as I-ko) compliance (ICAO is International Civil Aviation Organisation) or non-biometric.

ICAO logo at the bottom

Back in 2008, the process was a bit more shaky with limited numbers given out per day at the Immigration department due to ability to process these documents. Even though the Kiosk was available, the machine often see downtime due to over-usage. Online submission were not fully embraced as Malaysians are careful with submission of these sort (back in 2008).
My work is requiring me to travel again and with my passport having less than 6-months of validity, I need to renew it. I headed to Immigration Department at Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN), Jalan Duta on Sunday. Intention was to arrive by 7.30am and line up for the number.

You have yourself to blame
for waking up late

As luck has it, I have to wake up late that morning. I left home at 8.20am and arrived at KDN by 8.45am. Went up and took my number at 8.52am. I was lucky number 1164 with 133 people waiting in front of me. I sat and see how fast the numbers were moving and noticed that one person was served approximately every minute. That worked out to be about 2-hours waiting time for me to submit my document. There were about 11 counters opened for renewal submission and with additional 5 allocated for senior citizen, pregnant women and handicapped. So, it was in full force. My respect for these men and women for working on a Saturday and Sunday. One can say they will get a day off, or get paid overtime handsomely; that is not the point as you can't buy back lost time with the (their) families that do not work or school on weekend!
So, what do you do with so much time to kill?
Renew my Identity Card. The Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) is just downstairs!

New Identity card done within the waiting hours!

The process of renewing the IC was fast due to the lower crowd. A charge of RM10 will be imposed for the change in IC (assumed to be faulty/spoilt). Take it as an opportunity to update your database with the government of the day for good governance. You will also receive email from both JPN and Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) when you update your IC. Alternatively, you can do this online via MYEG and collect the IC when it is ready. The beauty of the MYEG service is that you get to retain your old (forever young) photo in the new IC ;-)
Passport Process
The typical waiting time is about 1minute per person. This is averaged out from the numbers of counter opened and processing time. Then at the handing over of the document, it takes about 2minutes for the officer to re-confirm and re-authorise your thumb prints before giving you the print out. You will need to hand over your IC at this point for verification purposes.

Flowchart for renewal

Once that is done, come another waiting to pay for the renewal. RM300 buys you 50 pages (used to be 48) for 5 years. Kids under 12 and students (with student card) pay half the price for the same period. Waiting for payment takes you an additional 10-15minutes wait depending on how fast the payment can be processed at the counter. There are cases where the applicants came unprepared (insufficient cash) and hold up the rest pledging ignorance of the RM300 needed.
With the payment done, you will get your IC back with a payment slip and your waiting number. Return in an hour to collect the passport. Should you only managed to make payment after 12pm (as the centre closes at 1pm), you may be asked to return the next day to collect the Passport.
By the time I made the payment, it was 11.30am. It took me total of 2hours 30mins from arriving to payment. With 133 person in front of me, the 1-min/person rule seems about right. I went back to KDN at about 12.45pm after having a fantastic lunch at Coffee 5 Cups. It is just down the road and no better way to actually sit down and enjoy a cup of Peaberry coffee and some food.

Ask for the Day's Special - you may just land a surprise bento set

The last process was fast (as I was the LAST person) and I received my renewed passport with much anticipation and pride. Here are a list of photo comparison between my old (non-ICAO Passport) and new (ICAO with Polycarbonate Passport)

5 years back, the passport was only 32 pages, now 50 is standard. No more choices of 64 pages for heavy traveller.

Black and white photo on (new) Polycarbonate sheet vs (old) printed in the inside front cover

Serial number on horizontal plane (new) vs vertical on old.

Awesome mini-photo with hologram effect showing MYS and Photo at different angle

The Polycarbonate sheet. Laminated plastic. If this page is torn (high potential), you lose your identity.

I left KDN at 1pm sharp. I went to KDN to renew my passport and got more than just that done. I went back with a new IC too. 

Credit where it's due.

Bottomline

• Go early to line up so you can get the documents done. The later you go, the longer you have to wait. 
• Do not blame the officers for "slow service" when you were the one arriving late. Be fair to them - total processing time and payment time is actually less than 20minutes. That is with 133 person in front of me. 
• Try not to bring food into the immigration department. Sadly, the place was littered. Some Malaysians lack civic-consciousness. 
• Do dress appropriately. Have respect for others that do not share your fashion sense (or lack of).
• Always say THANK YOU. The officers are human too. ;-)

I went home and was surprised by Wifey presenting me with a new passport holder. :) She said since I've started a new job and expected to travel a fair bit - looking good doing it doesn't harm ;-) Thank you wifey!

Valid, again.

Thoughts  - The validity of the passport is actually 4.5years with the final 0.5years or 6-months to be invalid to travel for some countries that provide Visa more than 90 days. having said that, i was thinking why the immigration/government consider putting in the additional 0.5 years/6 months to "make up" for the differences, then truly the holder can travel up till the passport expires unofficially ;-)