PUTRAJAYA, May 18 — The National Registration Department (NRD) said today it is instituting changes to its core service to expedite applications involving the registration and renunciation of citizenship.

NRD director-general Zamri Misman said one of the ongoing efforts by the department to institute change to its service delivery concerns approvals for citizenship registration applications under the Federal Constitution’s Article 15(1) for wives and children of citizens; and Article 16 for persons born before Merdeka Day.

"For this purpose, processed applications will be immediately considered through the Committee Panel which convenes weekly, and we expect 3,000 citizenship applications will be decided upon by the end of this year,” he said in his speech at the NRD’s award ceremony for service excellence 2022.

In ensuring the aforementioned citizenship applications are processed quicker, Zamri said the department was currently working with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to integrate systems that would allow the review of such applications, as well as security screenings to be conducted online.

"If the system integration, expected to go ‘live’ in October this year, is successfully implemented, then the security screening period can be reduced from 53 days to just five days, while the existing process for applications with issues can be reduced from 73 days to 14 days,” he said.

According to Zamri, the most immediate change to the department’s core service would take place from next month.

"Beginning June 2023, those applying to renounce their citizenship under Article 23 of the Federal Constitution will now be able to check their application status online,” he said.