Heavy traffic expected at land checkpoints during Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day, June school holidays: ICA
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ICA said heavy traffic is expected at Singapore’s land checkpoints during the upcoming public holidays in May as well as the June school holidays.
ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
SINGAPORE – Travellers heading into Malaysia via the two land checkpoints during the upcoming two public holidays and the June school holidays should expect heavy traffic and longer waiting times during peak periods.
In a statement on May 22, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said travellers should plan their journey early and consider travelling during non-peak hours, such as early in the morning and late in the evening.
More than two million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints over the recent Labour Day long weekend from April 30 to May 3, with a peak of close to 580,000 travellers on April 30. During peak hours in the four-day period, travellers in cars waited for up to three hours for immigration clearance.
Hari Raya Haji falls on May 27, while Vesak Day is on May 31, with June 1 also a public holiday. The school holidays start on May 30 and end on June 28.
ICA said it had stepped up security checks at all checkpoints in light of the heightened global security environment arising from the war in Iran.
For the upcoming holidays, the authority has urged travellers to use QR codes in the MyICA app for faster immigration clearance.
Motorcyclists and pillion riders can also use facial recognition under the New Clearance Concept, which has improved clearance rates by more than 35 per cent, or an additional 7,600 travellers per hour during departure peak periods, compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
ICA added that motorists should cooperate with officers, observe lane discipline and comply with traffic rules.
“Queue-cutting disrupts traffic flow. Those caught queue-cutting will be directed to re-queue from the back of the line,” ICA said.
Nineteen motorists were caught for traffic-related offences and dangerous road behaviour during the Labour Day long weekend.
They were referred to the Traffic Police for investigation and prosecution, made to re-queue and banned from entering Singapore, among other enforcement actions.
