We often talk about privilege in terms of income, education or opportunity. But there is one form of privilege many Malaysians barely think about, our passport.
Ranked as the third most powerful in the world, the Malaysian passport quietly unlocks travel freedoms that millions can only dream of.
While Malaysians breeze through immigration counters and enter more than 180 destinations visa free, travellers like Alex, Lily and Roy fight through paperwork, pay hundreds of dollars in fees and endure humiliating interviews just to go on a holiday.
The holiday stress most Malaysians will never experience
Alex, a South African living in Singapore, knows this reality firsthand. South Africa ranks 51st on the Henley Passport Index and that mid-tier position shapes every part of her travel life, reported CNBC.
Many of her friends with stronger passports simply cannot understand the exhausting process.
Why do I have to upload every single page of my passport from 10 years ago to go on holiday to Australia? If you’re travelling for business, what you have to go through… is crazy.”
A recent Europe trip required two visas — Schengen and the UK. The whole process took six weeks.
Because she had to surrender her passport, she was unable to travel at all during the waiting period.
“If you travel regularly for work like I do, it’s a huge issue.”
Then came the costs.
A past visa application required bank-stamped financial statements, a requirement she only learned at the visa centre. After multiple failed attempts at different branches, one finally agreed to print watermark statements for $10 per page.
Every visit to the visa centre? Another $50.
“I think we dropped about $600 to $700, if not more… just to get a visa to Italy for six whole days.”
These days, Alex prioritises visa-free destinations.
“It makes a huge difference if you’re going for a one week holiday and you already need to fork out $1,000 in visa fees.”
“Do you plan to overstay?” — The questions they hate most
For Lily, a Chinese passport holder who requested anonymity, the process is not just expensive, it is deeply demeaning.
Visa officers have asked her insulting questions like: “Are you planning to overstay?”
She was also required to submit proof of no criminal record, which meant more time, more appointments and more fees.
Despite being educated, employed overseas and financially stable, Lily still faces layers of suspicion that travellers with stronger passports never experience.
It’s not only indignity when getting the visa. It’s also then the way you are treated at the border.”
The emotional toll has even influenced her career decisions; she avoids jobs that require frequent international travel because the administrative burden is simply too much.
Out of frustration, she once considered obtaining a Hong Kong passport, though it demands at least seven years of residency.
“I love my country, but I would still want to change the passport.”
Why last-minute trips are impossible for some travellers
For Singapore-based entrepreneur Pantha Roy, his Indian passport forces him to plan every trip like a mini project.
He described backpacking in South America, where visas required him to list exact entry points and transport routes, details most Malaysians would never think twice about.
“It takes some of the fun out of travel… you cannot be that spontaneous.”
In Europe, his friends could book cheaper, last-minute flights with ease. He could not.
Even a short getaway required at least three months of preparation, from securing visa appointments to waiting for approval.
“Because of the hassle, I just go somewhere else rather than going to Europe.”
Still, unlike Alex and Lily, Roy says he wouldn’t trade his passport. “I like having an Indian passport. I would not give it up.”
A reality check for Malaysians with a top 3 Passport
The stories of Alex, Lily and Roy highlight how much a passport can determine a person’s mobility, opportunities and dignity.
For travellers with weaker passports, this often means:
• long visa waits
• demanding document requirements
• expensive application fees
• intrusive interviews
• restricted job choices
• zero spontaneity
• missed trips due to bureaucracy
Meanwhile, Malaysians enjoy one of the world’s most powerful passports; a privilege that often goes unnoticed until you hear what others struggle through.
As Alex said:
There’s a level of humiliation. You can be an upstanding member of society, but you still have to jump through all these hoops.”
