MALAYSIA: Currently, there are three apps for immigration clearance at the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints from Johor Bahru to Singapore.
Among the thousands of people who use these land checkpoints regularly, some are asking the government for a single unified app that would make the border crossing less of a hassle for them, The Star reported on Sunday (Sept 8).
The three apps have been on a trial run over the past three months.
MyBorderPass is used by motorcycle riders entering Singapore from Johor Bahru.
MyTrip is utilized by those crossing the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (KSAB) at the Second Link.
MyRentas, meanwhile, is for people coming from the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Complex (BSI) in Johor Bahru.
The Star reported that so far, MyTrip has had the most users, with nearly 190,000 individual registrations. The two other apps have around 65,000 registrations.
According to Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, the chairman of Johor’s works, transportation, infrastructure and communications committee, from the time the trial ended on Aug 31, Johor Bahru’s officials hope to zero in on a system that works smoothly for all.
“We want a good system to be implemented to ease the movement of people, especially with the upcoming Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone,” he said.
And while more than one vendor could be appointed, he added that the state government wants a system installed properly and maintained. He also recognized the confusion of having two systems at the checkpoints created.
Mr Mohamad Fazli did not specifically say when the system would be announced but did say this would be “finalized soon.”
Importantly, he added that there will be no counters at all the arrival and exit halls. Instead, the government intends to place AI-based cameras with facial recognition. This will help facilitate ease of immigration clearances.
A motorbike rider who spoke to The Star said, “I hope the government will think long-term and plan for one system to be used at both checkpoints.”
Fifty-eight-year-old Daniel Ooi, who’s been working in Singapore for three and a half decades, said that while he likes the facial recognition of MyBorderPass, the AI cameras are installed too high. This means motorcyclists stop and stand at the gantry, slowing things down.
Another motorcyclist who also wishes for the unified app system asked for more gantries due to the congestion caused by the increased number of users at BSI’s motorcycle lanes during peak hours. /TISG
Read also: June 1: Malaysians can enter Singapore using QR codes instead of passports for immigration clearance