HOME MINISTRY FINALISES APP FOR SINGAPORE ENTRY AND EXIT

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Home Ministry (KDN) has selected a single application to facilitate immigration procedures for Malaysians at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Johor for entry and exit to Singapore, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Three applications—MyTrip, MyRENTAS, and MyBorderPass—are currently undergoing proof-of-concept (POC) trials at BSI and KSAB to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing congestion at the Malaysia-Singapore border.

"KDN has finalised one of the three vendors that we trialed under the POC. We submitted our recommendation to the Ministry of Finance last week for approval," Saifuddin Nasution told Bernama at a gathering with the Malaysian diaspora in Singapore on Wednesday night.

An announcement regarding the chosen application will be made soon, said Saifuddin, adding that the POC trials showed the application effectively reduced wait times, thereby helping to address congestion issues.

Upon implementation, travellers will still need to carry their passports for verification, even though immigration procedures can be completed via the application.

Initially, the application will be available for bus and motorcycle travellers at BSI and KSAB, before it is expanded to all travellers across all 141 entry points in Malaysia.

According to data analysis, bus and motorcycle travellers make up nearly 80 per cent of daily cross-border traffic, while private and commercial vehicles account for the remaining 20 per cent.

"This application will contribute to overcoming issues related to the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), facilitating the movement of people and goods," he added.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said discussions are ongoing with Singapore regarding Malaysia’s proposal for a single-entry immigration checkpoint for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which is currently under construction.

"The RTS will carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour, so it needs to be seamless. This will be a focus in discussions at my upcoming meeting with Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K. Shanmugam, on Thursday," he said.

The RTS Link is a four-kilometre passenger rail network with two stations—Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore.

Additionally, Saifuddin mentioned that KDN is open to considering a special pass for Singaporeans with residences in Johor, particularly with the development of JSSEZ.

"It’s a reasonable suggestion with many benefits," he said during a Q&A session with the Malaysian diaspora.

-- BERNAMA