There seems to a lot of complaints in malaysiakini from Malaysians abroad regarding the renewal of our smart passports. Some even ask what such smart passports are for when it is so difficult to renew them. That is because the smart passports are:

1) To boast that we are an advanced country but in reality, these new technology really gives us additional problems. They are just another product of the Mahathir-era 'Malaysia Boleh' mentality. Wonder why advanced governments such as United States and Japan did not implement it? After all, we import nearly all software (software development tools included) and IT hardware from these countries.

2) To enrich the BN/Umno cronies who supplied (as a dealer, not manufacturer) chips for the passport. Remember that Iris Technology is the contractor and is owned by Razali Ismail, former Malaysian permanent representative to the UN and a close friend to Dr Mahathir.

If the immigration department can prepare these smart passports in one day as our PM said recently, then there is no way why our immigration officials at our embassies couldn't do it too.