'Modified scanner software reason why new passports can't be read'

A passport supplier has alleged that the aging scanner and "modified" scanner software could be among reasons why new passports, issued after May 17, cannot be read at the e-Gate of the Immigration checkpoints for the past three months.

This was according to a senior official of the Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd, the supplier of new passports' polycarbonate datapage and embedded chips.

"The problem may be due to the old passport scanner and software-related issues," he told Malaysiakini.