Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Md Yusof, Minister of Home Affairs, said this during the launch of the department's golden jubilee celebration, yesterday.
The minister also revealed that by the end of this year, the Autogate or e-gate system will be introduced at the Brunei International Airport for a more efficient entry and exit for Bruneians holding biometric passports.
Earlier in the speech, Pehin Dato Awang Haji Adanan said offering service with quality and excellence is dynamic and should be continued. "If an organization cannot accept the reality of changes it has to make, especially on the modern requirements, that organization will be static, outdated, helpless and will not advance."
He added that in fulfilling customers and stakeholders' expectations, the department must come up with a future plan that is more proactive to enhance customer service to a level that is more efficient, effective and systematic.
"We must be more creative, innovative and proactive in finding new methods to upgrade efficiency of the working process, as well as implement first-class services in line with the current state of affairs. This is a challenge for officers and staff in this department, but it must be handled with determination and enthusiasm for the department's progress towards excellence," said the minister.
The minister also said that services provided by the department should exceed customers' expectations while customer-friendly attitudes must be practiced. "As the head of department or management, officers should become an example to those under their command by practicing `Torun Padang', which is to monitor and understand comprehensively problems faced by the public and to ensure that officers and staff do their work in a proper manner."
Pehin Dato Awg Hj Adanan also stressed that the first impression of a department or organization in many ways depends on the hospitality and efficiency of serves provided by the 'front liners' such as receptionists, service counters, telephone operators and so on.
Touching on the challenges and future expectations, the minister said he believes the department's workforce is more than prepared, well-established, more knowledgeable, more skilled and open-minded in fulfilling the expectations of stakeholders and customers towards being a more effective, efficient and excellent government department.
The minister also announced that numerous efforts undertaken efficiently and effectively have resulted in the achievement of many projects, like the replacement of MRP passports to biometric passports, Smart identification card systems, Frequent Travellers Card using the smart identification card in collaboration with Malaysia's Immigration department and faster processing time for ID cards and passports.
Yellow and purple ID cards now can be completed in three days, biometric passports in three days, working pass for private sector in a day, working pass for private companies in three days and visa approval and re-entry visa in a day.
The Border Control Expansion Project and System Migration Towards e-Government, with the purpose to stabilize exit and entry control using the latest technology, is a colour passport scanner capable of scanning In less than a second.
By the end of December this year, the ‘Autogate’ (e-gate) system will be introduced at the Brunei International Airport with the purpose of providing a facility that is more efficient for Bruneian travellers using biometric passports to exit and enter the country using the electronic gate.
It is hoped that the Border Control Expansion Project, System Migration Towards e-Government and Birth and Death Registration System under the Department of Immigration and National Registration will be made into the National Personal Data Centre, which stores all personal information.
The minister also praised the Law Enforcement Section for taking actions against law offenders in the country and upholding the nation's security.
He noted that this year alone from January to October, 129 people have been brought to court under the offence of Immigration Acts and Passport Acts, while 771 people were given compounds for immigration offences, which have resulted in fines amounting to $321,900. Pehin Dato Awg Hj Adanan also highlighted that during the same period, the Law Enforcement Section has conducted 1,951 surveillance, 315 inspections and 188 operations (raids).
The minister concluded his speech by advising officers and staff to avoid from getting involved in unhealthy and anti-social activities, which can jeopardise families, their careers and the department's image. As a government officer, they should be responsible and trustworthy, he added.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Amin Hosni
Quelle/Source: Brunei Direct, 27.11.2008
