Sultan Nazrin opens new NRD office in Taiping
TAIPING: Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, officially opened the National Registration Department (NRD) of the Larut Matang and Selama District here today.
The ceremony was also attended by the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim; the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa; and the Raja Di Hilir of Perak, Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah.
Also present were Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Annuar Nasarah, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, and Home Ministry Deputy Secretary-General (Policy and Control) Datuk Makhzan Mahyuddin.
As a symbol of the official opening, Sultan Nazrin signed a plaque and later visited the office and exhibition.
In his speech, Shamsul said the ministry, through the NRD, is responsible for ensuring that policies, laws, and regulations related to national registration are consistently implemented to meet public needs and expectations, while safeguarding national interests.
"The registration of births and deaths, marriages, and citizenship are crucial records, especially in supporting the formulation and implementation of key national policies.
"Taking these factors into account, the NRD is fully committed to delivering the best possible services to the public.
"The delivery of quality, efficient, accurate, and people-friendly services in the interest of the nation is the NRD's quality policy, in line with the government's inclusive approach," he said.
He noted that the RM10.5 million NRD office is one of 20 operating in Perak and the construction began on Sept 2, 2021, and was completed on April 22, 2024.
"This office is a merger of the original offices that operated in the Wisma Persekutuan Taiping building since 1986 and the NRD branch in Kamunting, which had been operating since 2004 in the Kamunting sub-district.
"Both offices underwent a rationalisation process and were combined into the current office.
"Continuous improvement efforts have been made to ensure the quality of services provided aligns with the increasing population in this district," he added.
He said the new office, built on a 4.05ha site, features attractive architecture and a corporate image, providing better facilities and infrastructure for the public.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia's 2024 report, the population in the district increased by 14 per cent, reaching 313,400 compared to 269,600 in 2020.
"The location is strategic, being close to the North-South Expressway and the West Coast Expressway, with geographical advantages, a spacious land area, and a more conducive office environment.
"In 2024, the Larut Matang and Selama District NRD received 69,740 applications, compared to 41,804 in the previous year.
"This 40 per cent increase demonstrates that the NRD's initiative to improve facilities for public comfort is a timely and appropriate step in delivering efficient and effective services," he said.
He added that as the leading agency in managing the nation's population records, the NRD plays a crucial role as the primary reference agency for identity record management through digital transformation.
"The NRD has implemented digitalisation initiatives such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and MyDigital ID, modernising services that originally began with manual registration of personal documents into a digital system that streamlines customer interactions and shortens processing times," he said.
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