RAUB: People in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor have been driving about a hundred kilometres to Raub in Pahang to renew their passports since 1 April.

The reason for this is that one has to wait for an appointment which may be in June or July in order to have the passport renewed in Klang Valley.

Those who need to have their passports renewed as soon as possible may have to do so in Raub, about 100km away!

Siti Norashikin Abdul Talib, head of the immigration office in Raub, said people from places as far as Johor and Negeri Sembilan also travelled to Raub to renew their passports besides those from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

“We do not keep the records of people coming to renew their passports here, but we estimate at least 30% of them are from outstation,” she said.

From 1 to 15 Apr, the immigration office in Raub handled an average of 45 applications a day.

“We encourage people to apply for their passports online, but we accept those walk-in applicants, especially senior citizens,” she said.

Tang Tian Jie (44, hawker) and his wife travelled from Karak to the Raub immigration office to apply for a passport for their 18-year-old son.

The family was prepared to travel overseas, said Tang.

Cui Feng Ping, 54, who works in the telecommunication industry, also came from Karak to renew her passport.

She said she had come to the immigration office three times just to renew her passport.