A Malaysian entrepreneur recently shared how the country’s newly redesigned passport caught the attention of immigration officers upon her arrival in London.
Cosmetics entrepreneur Rita Sosilawati said she was briefly stopped by officers at the UK’s immigration checkpoint because they had never seen Malaysia’s new passport before. Taking to Threads, Rita explained that she told the officers the passport had only recently been introduced and that she had applied for it on the third day after it became available.
According to Rita, the officers said they needed to inspect the document because it was the first time they had come across the new Malaysian passport.
“They also complimented the passport’s design, saying it looked modern and beautiful, especially with the coloured photo inside,” she wrote.
New passport draws attention abroad
Although the inspection took a little longer than usual, Rita believed it was because information about the newly launched passport had yet to be fully updated in the UK’s immigration system. Still, she said she was excited to be among the first Malaysians to use the new passport in London.
“It was actually quite fun to be one of the first people here using it,” she added.
Other Malaysians share similar experiences
Rita’s post quickly went viral, with several Malaysians sharing similar encounters after travelling overseas with the new passport.
Another Malaysian said French border officers in Paris spent several minutes examining the passport before showing it to their colleagues.
“The officer said it was very high-tech. As a Malaysian, I felt incredibly proud,” the user shared.
Netizens praise Malaysia’s new passport
Many social media users said the additional checks were understandable, as immigration officers needed to verify a document they had never seen before.
Some added that the attention reflected positively on Malaysia, with one user saying the experience made them feel even prouder knowing the new passport had impressed foreign immigration officers.
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