Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the recognition by Global Passport Power Rank 2018 had matched the Malaysian passport comparable to the passports of other countries such as New Zealand and Australia. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The Malaysian international passport with high security features is placed under rank 5 among the most powerful passports in the world which proved global recognition for Malaysia.

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the recognition by Global Passport Power Rank 2018 had matched the Malaysian passport comparable to the passports of other countries such as New Zealand and Australia.

“Our passport with high security features, was the first in the world in e-passport usage using security chip planted inside.

“It is to facilitate all Immigration counter transactions. We could identity all information and profiles of passport holders including movements and travel to each country when scanned at an immigration counter,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

He said apart from that, the Malaysian passport is also difficult to be forged as it has a security system which could not be seen by the naked eye.

“The most important thing is that the Malaysian passport is made according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard, an agency under the United Nations for cross border travel,” he said. — Bernama