ALOR SETAR, Nov 5 — The Immigration Department has ceased operations at the Desa Napoh Community Centre in Jitra, near here, since Nov 1.

Kedah Immigration Department director Zuhair Jamaludin said this was because most people preferred to go to the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration Office near here.

"The Napoh centre only received passport applications (which may take several days to be completed) while the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration Office can issue passports within an hour after payment is made.

"Besides, we also had to bear the high costs of the utility bills. The manpower at the Napoh centre will be transferred to the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Safety Complex and other Immigration offices,” he said in a statement here today.

Members of the public can still go to nearby Immigration offices like in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Anak Bukit and the Kedah Urban Transformation Centre. — Bernama