偶的回忆点滴天堂: 九月 2009

I hope my blog will help those who intend to renew their Malaysian Passports upon expiry. However, the information I provide here is what I observed and experienced today.

The High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore is located at 301 Jervois Road (off River Valley Road). There were no shopping centre around if you are thinking of shopping while waiting!!

Before you go for the passport renewals, make sure you have the following : -
1. At least one IM42 form. You can buy this at 50cents per copy on the morning, or you can download from the website http://www.imi.gov.my/. Make sure you print it double sided and on A4 paper. There were many people who printed on one sided and two pieces of paper, were rejected and ended up buying the form from Counter 10. If you print from home, you can fill up the form at your own pace. Some people where filling form this morning while queueing, and they were a bit panicky as the queue moved. Some people were confused which address to fill in, it shld be your Singapore address if you are reciding in Singapore (PR).

2. Two recent coloured passport size photo (3.5cmX5cm) with blue background. As mentioned above, the best is to take at the High Commission itself. It cost SGD6 for 4 copies.

3. Original & Photocopy of Malaysia Identity Card (IC). The IC must be new, 'My Kad'. And photocopy is best done on A4 paper. Don't cut. Also, copy both side on the same page.

4. Your passport & photocopy. Again , on A4 size paper. Also, copy both side on the same page

5. Original & photocopy of Singapore PR IC/Employment Pass/Dependent Pass/S Pass/Work permit/Student Pass/Long Term Pass as proof of status in Singapore. Again, copy on A4.

6. Yourself (Applicants need to submit the application and collect the passport personally).

7. SGD128 for 32 pages passport.

8. Birth cert and the photocopy (not compulsory but the person asked to see mine)

You can go to the website, the High commission guard house or Counter 11 to obtain form on what is needed.

As I learnt from the guard last week that some people turned up as early as 7.30am, I tried not to be too late. As the maximum passport issued a day is 200 copies and 100 copies on Friday, I worried if I went too late, the quota would exceed.

When I reached at 2minutes to 8am, there were already many people. The Consular Office opens at 8am but the guard house started issueing entry pass/badge from aboout 7.30am. Firstly, I went to the guard house to obtain a pass/badge. Many people just walked through the gate but then was asked to go to the guard house first. There was no one guarding right at the gate. The security guard was standing on top of the staircase inside the gate and after you climbed a flight of stairs and if you do not have the pass, you need to climb back down and proceed to the guard house outside. The guard house was on the left side of the High Commission if you are facing the High Commission, not exactly at the gate leading to the High Commission. So, look to the left and find the guard house. They will ask for a card to be exchanged for the pass/badge. Do not give them your Malaysia or Singapore IC as they would be used later. Give them your driving licence, student pass, NTUC link point card or library card instead. You will be given a pass/badge with a number. This number does not mean a queue number. Wear it so that it could be seen. Then walk to the entrance.

After you climbed the flight of stairs, a security guard will check your pass/badge and also your bag. Those who carry food/water was asked to either stuff them into the handbag or to leave them outside the High Commission office. There were some cement benches there. No one is allowed to eat or drink inside. All mobile phone should be put to silent mode. Someone was using the mobile phone and I heard the guard screaming away to stop her.

When you walked straight, you would come to a door that leads you into the Consular Office. It is not confusing. But as you enter, you will see a photo taking machine and a photocopier quite near to the entrance. If you have not got your photos and have not make your photocopies, do so now. There might be a queue for these to be done. Do not attempt to queue towards Counter 11 unless you have all that are needed. There were many people in front of me in the queue but many were turned away as they have insufficient documents. Most people did not have their new 'My Kad' IC.

After you got everything that is needed, queue towards Counter 11. 5-10minutes after I arrived, the queue wounded like a snake. At Counter 11, the person would verify that you have everything. She would make sure you have filled the form, photos pasted, ICs with the photocopies etc... The funny thing was, she even asked to see my birth cert eventhough it was not required. I had it with me, so I showed it to her. Then she wanted to have a copy. When I passed a copy to her, she commented that it was not in A4 size!!! Then she said " Never mind, no need" !!!! Was she just making my heart pounded harder??? I was worried that I was denied a chance to submit my application. Renewing passport somehow is a phobia and caused much agony to many!

After the person was satisfied that I had all that was needed, she issued me with a queue number. It read "031". I was amazed that eventhough there were so many more people in front of me, the queue was only 31. That means, a lot of people were turned away to go and get what they did not bring.

While queueing, people are generally very helpful. They help each other. Some even print extra IM.42 form and gave it to people who has printed wrongly on 2 pieces of paper. Some help another to inteprete the Bahasa Malaysia Form. One boy was stunned that he did not have any form, so he quickly asked the guy next to him. And he 'chopped' his queue position by telling the person behind him that he need to go and buy a form and come back to the same place. Generally, everyone was very nice and helpful. The guard that was doing photocopying was also helpful.... The place was nicer than before, air conditioned and quite orderly.

Just within 10minutes, 'ting' , my queue number appeared on a few digital board. I gave the documents to the person in charge. She checked, took my thumb prints electronically and also in black ink. When she was satisfied, she returned my IC and queue number and signalled me to go to another counter to pay. After paying, I was given the queue number paper indicating to come back to collect the passport at 2.30pm on the same day.

By the time I finished, it was only 5 minutes past 9am. It was amazing. But it was not so good for those who did not have sufficient documents.

The morning submission time was from 8am to 11.30am. However, they will only accept 200 copies of passport max. (And 100 copies on Fridays).

Collection is from 2.30pm-4.15pm.

Since it was so early, Iwent off instead of sitting there and wait for the 5.5hrs. Remember to return the pass at the guard house and get your card back.

At 2.30pm, go back to the guard house again. You can go earlier because the pass that the guard issue this time is the queue number. But no worries because collection is fast. They will call by the queue number in batches of 10. Many people were confused about the queue. Some thought it would appear on the digital boards, some thought it went by the morning queue number but no, it was by the queue that the guard gave out. They called it 'I' queue because there was a letter 'I' on the queue. The queue numbers were called out! I went at 2.30pm and my queue was 87!!! Seems like many 'kiasu' people were already waiting much much earlier before they re-opened. Today, they processed 147 copies of passport.

They did indicate that peak seasons are the March and September school holidays and also a couple of weeks before June and December. So, if you can, avoid this time!

When my queue number was called, I went to line up near the counters. Then when my turn came, I signed and got my new and old passports. Check that you have your names and particulars all correct. By the time I got mine, it was almost 3.30pm, about 1hour for Number 87.

I wanted to proceed to Singapore Immigration to transfer my Returning Permit but just this morning, I read from the website that I could do it online! Just need Singpass ( a password) that I have. So convenient......

I wish that some improvement be made to the process of renewing passports.

1. Since many people will tell/ask the guard about passport renewals, the guard could give the person "what is needed form" and also give them the IM.42 form. This way will avoid a lot of people having queue inside for an hour or so and realised they did bring all that is needed.

2. After submission, the passport should be processed instantly. It is easier to wait there for 1 hour than to have to come back again after 5.5hours.

3. Submission shld be opened from morning until evening. It is fine if office is opened not 8am but 9am, but the break time should be reduced. So, for those that could only come in the afternoon, can also submit and got their passports.

二零零九年九月九日－五周年纪念
期待好久的纪念日哦！
原本是偶打算结婚的日子哈哈！

080808注册
090909结婚
101010生小孩

完美的人生数字呀，但我都擦肩而过。。。

当晚dear dear 原本带我到了Changi 海边吃西餐的，说什么我没吃过龙虾带我去吃龙虾大餐。。。
但到了那餐厅我嫌它太不怎样我就说要去吃别的了，结果就吃日本餐啦！

当天我俩吃的不多，吃两轮就饱了。

挣扎了一会才敢叫餐厅的员工帮我们拍照，表情怪怪的哈哈！

晚餐后就去汤水店铺吃甜品，这是椰子冰淇淋，傍边的是椰水不是白开水哦，蛮特别的，只点一种甜品因我们吃不下啦！这甜品 $3.80哟～

很凑巧的是我们点了甜品服务员递给我们的点餐牌竟然是"9"号也，超高兴的，连店名都很好听叫“甜蜜蜜”很适合当晚我们庆祝的周年日哈哈！

在甜品铺内又自拍了～

这次的纪念礼物我还来不及买，但我说我定会买个不错的礼物给他，因五年是个很棒的延续，我说五年我们要认真的对待，再来的10周年我们就要大势庆祝了我希望还有未来的十五年、二十年。。。
dear dear 也没买礼物给我，但她知道我要的是什么哈哈，他说欠着先，先写个“欠据”给我，这张纸我可要收的好好不能弄不见哟，不然就没礼物拿了。
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