Darphane, Ultimate Print eyeing new passport production in Malaysia, globally

KUALA LUMPUR – A partnership between Malaysia’s Ultimate Print Sdn Bhd and Türkiye’s state-owned mint, Darphane, aims to introduce advanced secure documentation, including passports.

Darphane’s Deputy General Director Mehmet Hekim said that the design for the proposed passports, incorporating new security features, has been presented to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof during the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing event today (Nov 7).

"Specific components are essential for this process (production of secure passports), including security chips and polycarbonate materials,” he told Sinar Daily during the event.

Should the government approve the updated passports, Hekim said Ultimate Print, in collaboration with Darphane, was prepared to commence production.

He further clarified that the proposed designs shared with Fadillah included the new generation concept that has the latest technological and security features.

Beyond passports, Ultimate Print chief executive officer Azizi Fickry revealed that they also submitted proposals to various ministries and government agencies involving the production of security documents.

Darphane is a state-owned entity under Türkiye’s Ministry of Treasury and Finance, which manages high-security production from its headquarters in Istanbul, including coins, banknotes, official seals, medals, revenue stamps and other government documents.

Meanwhile, Ultimate Print has been a key player in security document printing since 2014, providing services to government agencies such as the police, Inland Revenue Board and Road Transport Department.

Earlier, Darphane and Ultimate Print signed a MoU solidifying their collaboration to establish a high-security printing hub in Malaysia. This MoU, witnessed by Fadillah, showcases Malaysia’s growing appeal as a high-tech hub in Southeast Asia.

The venture, expected to require an investment of RM60 million to RM80 million, will utilise the advanced security printing technologies and expertise of Darphane to explore opportunities in high-security printing including the production of national identity cards (ICs) and passports.

Commenting further, Hekim said the collaboration would not only focus on production but also on developing Ultimate Print's capabilities.

"In parallel, we will work closely with Ultimate Print to identify their needs in terms of software, hardware and machinery. We will guide them to fill these gaps effectively," he said.

Darphane, he said, was ready to offer job training in Istanbul, Turkey, to any employees of Ultimate Print to learn how to handle security printing technology.

"Training is also a crucial aspect of this partnership. We plan to conduct training sessions for Ultimate Print workers at Darphane.

"Our expectation is that within two years, we can close all gaps, enabling Ultimate Print to produce security printing documents independently," he said, adding that this was just the start of the journey.