Malaysia deploys volunteer corps, opens special lanes at checkpoint as autogate glitches persist
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The eGate system remain unresolved but involved only foreign passport holders as at Jan 11.
ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
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JOHOR BAHRU - People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel have been deployed at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (BSI) to help manage congestion amid continuing technical issues affecting the autogate system
The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) has also opened special lanes to facilitate faster and smoother immigration clearance for foreign travellers.
In a Facebook post on Jan 11, AKPS said the eGate system disruption remained unresolved but involved only foreign passport holders.
“Foreign passport holders may use the eGates at locations such as the Incoming Bus Hall involving eGates 19, 20, 21 and 22, and the Outgoing Bus Hall (eGates 5, 6, 7 and 8).
“The Immigration Department, together with AKPS, is still actively carrying out repair works and continuous monitoring to address this issue,” it said.
At a later post at about 10.30pm, the agency said that no unusual congestion occurred in the passenger hall although the release of travellers on the eGate route “is still moving slowly”, but other zones did not indicate unusual traffic.
To ease congestion, AKPS advised foreign visitors to download the National Integrated Immigration System (MyNIISe) application and use the QR counters, in addition to the manual counters provided.
The agency also urged the public to comply with all guidelines and instructions, and to give way to those in need to ensure comfort and safety for all travellers.
Currently, BSI has 39 autogates at the entry points and 29 at the exit areas of the bus halls, while the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) at the Second Link is equipped with 12 autogates.
Since June 1, 2024, visitors from 63 countries, as well as diplomats serving in Malaysia and their immediate family members, have been eligible to use autogates for faster immigration clearance. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
