M'sian passport centre shifts from Canberra to Melbourne

The issuance and renewal of Malaysian passports in Australia will be moved from Canberra to Melbourne early next year.

This was announced by the Malaysian consul-general here, Dr Mohd Rameez Yahaya, at the Malaysia-Singapore Lasallian dinner last night.

There have been complaints for years that Malaysians had to travel to Canberra at great expense to renew or get new passports. Since its opening here in June last year, the consulate-general has taken over much of consulate matters which were previously handled at the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra.

Malaysians in the states of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania will soon be able to make the shorter distance to Melbourne, which most feel is a far more interesting place to visit, than Canberra.

The Malaysian consulate in Perth will continue to keep its passport office. Mohd Rameez also said that Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) would move from Sydney to Melbourne in February. It will be housed in the same building as the consulate-general in St Kilda Road. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority will remain in Sydney.