Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said this was one of the measures to address problems with the application and renewal of international Malaysian passports (PMA), apart from increasing the number of staff to handle the PMA process.

The six offices with extended operating hours until 10pm are the immigration department offices in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.

Those in Penang, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis will operate until 6pm.

All passport issuance offices in Peninsular Malaysia will also operate on Saturdays from 8am to 12.30pm from May 14, he told a press conference here today.

He said all immigration counters at the Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) in the peninsular would stay open until 10pm.

According to Khairul, there has been a 40% increase in the issuance of the PMA, from 165,449 during the period from April 1 to May 6 this year compared to 111,931 in March.

He said the department had also provided a special counter to facilitate passport applications from prospective Haj pilgrims, who had received an offer letter to perform the pilgrimage.

“They can come to any passport issuing office by bringing the offer letter from TH (Tabung Haji),” he said.

On the online appointment system (STO), Khairul said it would be abolished at all passport issuing offices nationwide from this Wednesday.

Prior to this, it was reported that the immigration department was abolishing the STO for all passport issuing offices outside the Klang Valley from May 9, and those in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor Bahru, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka from May 16.