The e-passport is one of the Immigration and National Registry Department's projects under the e-government project and is aimed at replacing the "Machine Readable Passport" (MRP) currently in use.
Compared to the existing passport, the e-passport has an embedded 72-kilobyte chip and several security features.
This complies with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which makes it more difficult to duplicate.
The chip itself will contain the owner's facial and fingerprint images.
Furthermore, the biometric passport allows for easier and faster checks at immigration checkpoints.
The e-passport is already being utilised in all EU member states, US, UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. It can still be used in other countries that have not yet incorporated the system as the e-passport still has a "Machine Readable Zone" to allow for regular immigration procedures.
During the working visit by Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Md Yusof to the immigration and National Registry Department, Project Manager, Siavosh Khodamoradi, was at hand to demonstrate the processes required to produce an e-passport.
He was accompanied by his colleague, Jens Meyer. Both software engineers from Dermalog have been in Brunei Darussalam to start setting tip the e-passport system since January 18, 2008.
According to Meyer, they will be in the sultanate until the end of the month and for the meantime will also be preparing and training relevant staff and officers in the department on how to register, input data and print the new passports.
When they are in use, Meyer said that the task of producing an e-passport would be "quite easy and fast, especially if you're renewing a passport".
In addition to witnessing the start of the e-passport's trial, Pehin Dato Hj Adanan also paid a visit to the identity Card Section.
The working visit was to observe closer the administration, management, function and roles of the departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Accompanying the minister on the visit was the Permanent Secretary, Hj Md Mahdi Pehin Orang Kaya Digadong Seri Diraja Dato Laila Utama Hj Abd Rahman, and several senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It was an opportunity for the minister to personally interact with and listen to the problems faced by the department and especially the public, as customers, regarding efforts and actions necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering services.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Nasroul Hizam
Quelle/Source: Brunei Direct, 27.01.2008
