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Malaysia considers using retina recognition systems to filter fake EP

According to Today Online, the Malaysian authorities are considering the use of facial and retina recognition systems to identify falsified employment passes and passports used by foreign workers.

In this report, deputy home minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said that the new recognition systems will work together with existing biometric devices.

“We are working on their introduction in stages, and the digital identity detection programme (of which these new technologies are part of) is expected to be fully implemented by 2021,” he said after a community programme in Johor’s Taman Perling on Wednesday (18 October).

According to the report, fake temporary employment visit passes and passports offered by syndicates are popular among foreign migrant workers in Malaysia. Of late, syndicates have been used by employers via agents to gain fake documents for their foreign workers for as low as RM1,500 (S$480). In fact, it is learnt that such documents can be easily forged with modern digital copying equipment.

Jazlan noted that the ministry was aware of such syndicates as their activity has been ongoing for a while. He commented: “The Immigration Department will strengthen its current surveillance and enforcement techniques to detect and cripple such organisations.”

He added that the new facial and retina recognition devices will contribute to this effort.

Photo / 123RF

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