Latest news with #MyBorderPass
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Normalcy restored after 24-hour autogate disruption at BSI entry points
JOHOR BARU: After more than 24 hours of chaos at major entry points nationwide, the situation has returned to normal, with almost all autogate systems functioning normally. The disruption, which began at around noon on Friday, has been resolved, with foreigners being allowed to use the autogates in stages from 4.30pm on Saturday (July 19). Checks at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex (BSI) showed that crowds were dispersed by midnight on Saturday. This was a stark contrast to the thousands of foreigners queuing since the autogate system failed nationwide on Friday. The disruption, described by officials as the worst in recent years, affected more than 200 autogate machines nationwide. A Singaporean named Lim said he was relieved the issues had been rectified, as he was in Johor to attend a funeral. "I saw photographs of the huge crowds on Friday (July 18) and Saturday, and it looked bad. Imagine queuing for four to five hours. "Today (Sunday) when I entered the bus hall, everything was empty, and I cleared immigration within 20 minutes." Another Singaporean, Salmah, was pleased that everything was back to normal at BSI. "I was supposed to come on Saturday to visit relatives but delayed my trip after seeing the large crowd pictures in the media and online. "I am glad there was no crowd, and immigration officers were present to ensure everything ran smoothly," she said, hoping the authorities would have a backup system in case of future failures, as many of her friends delayed their trips to Malaysia. The Star first reported that chaos erupted at major entry points across Malaysia as tens of thousands of foreign travellers were stranded for hours following a massive nationwide failure of the autogate system on Friday. Long queues were reported at KL International Airport and land border crossings, particularly in Johor, where many Singaporeans were caught in gridlock at BSI and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex. Foreign passport holders were unable to clear immigration via the automated lanes, while Malaysian passport holders continued to pass through without issues. The MyBorderPass system for Malaysians also remained functional. At the BSI complex alone, there are 39 autogates for exits and 29 for entry, while KSAB has 12 in operation. Even Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who made a surprise visit to the BSI complex on Saturday, expressed disappointment over the system disruption, which lasted for more than 24 hours. Onn Hafiz added that such incidents not only inconvenience the public but also affect the image of the state and the nation. Since June 1, 2024, visitors from 63 countries, as well as diplomats serving in Malaysia and their family members, have been eligible to use the autogates for faster clearance.
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Normalcy restored after 24-hour autogate disruption at entry points
JOHOR BARU: After more than 24 hours of chaos at major entry points nationwide, the situation has returned to normal, with almost all autogate systems functioning normally. The disruption, which began at around noon on Friday, has been resolved, with foreigners being allowed to use the autogates in stages from 4.30pm on Saturday (July 19). Checks at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex (BSI) showed that crowds were dispersed by midnight on Saturday. This was a stark contrast to the thousands of foreigners queuing since the autogate system failed nationwide on Friday. The disruption, described by officials as the worst in recent years, affected more than 200 autogate machines nationwide. A Singaporean named Lim said he was relieved the issues had been rectified, as he was in Johor to attend a funeral. "I saw photographs of the huge crowds on Friday (July 18) and Saturday, and it looked bad. Imagine queuing for four to five hours. "Today (Sunday) when I entered the bus hall, everything was empty, and I cleared immigration within 20 minutes." Another Singaporean, Salmah, was pleased that everything was back to normal at BSI. "I was supposed to come on Saturday to visit relatives but delayed my trip after seeing the large crowd pictures in the media and online. "I am glad there was no crowd, and immigration officers were present to ensure everything ran smoothly," she said, hoping the authorities would have a backup system in case of future failures, as many of her friends delayed their trips to Malaysia. The Star first reported that chaos erupted at major entry points across Malaysia as tens of thousands of foreign travellers were stranded for hours following a massive nationwide failure of the autogate system on Friday. Long queues were reported at KL International Airport and land border crossings, particularly in Johor, where many Singaporeans were caught in gridlock at BSI and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex. Foreign passport holders were unable to clear immigration via the automated lanes, while Malaysian passport holders continued to pass through without issues. The MyBorderPass system for Malaysians also remained functional. At the BSI complex alone, there are 39 autogates for exits and 29 for entry, while KSAB has 12 in operation. Even Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who made a surprise visit to the BSI complex on Saturday, expressed disappointment over the system disruption, which lasted for more than 24 hours. Onn Hafiz added that such incidents not only inconvenience the public but also affect the image of the state and the nation. Since June 1, 2024, visitors from 63 countries, as well as diplomats serving in Malaysia and their family members, have been eligible to use the autogates for faster clearance.
The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Entry gridlock after immigration gates crash
JOHOR BARU: Chaos erupted at major entry points across Malaysia as tens of thousands of foreign travellers were left stranded for hours following a massive nationwide failure of the automatic gate system. Long queues were reported at KL International Airport and land border crossings, particularly in Johor, where many Singaporeans were caught in the gridlock at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes. 'I never expected to be stuck here for almost four hours,' said a Singaporean traveller, known as Tan, who was among the thousands stuck at the BSI checkpoint. 'The authorities should have had a backup system, especially during the weekend when many of us travel to Johor for leisure and shopping.' Another Singaporean, Siti, said she had to postpone a family outing as a result. 'My elderly parents have knee problems and can't stand for long. With the autogates, we usually clear immigration in 15 minutes,' she said. The disruption, described by officials as the worst in recent years, began around noon on Friday and affected more than 200 autogate machines nationwide. Foreign passport holders were unable to clear immigration via the automated lanes, while Malaysian passport holders continued to pass through without issues. The MyBorderPass system for Malaysians also remained functional. The Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), in a statement, said the failure was due to a data integration disruption, leading to cross-checking delays within the MyIMMs. As a result, autogates used by foreigners were rendered inoperable. The agency said all manual immigration counters were activated and additional manpower was deployed. Johor works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said he had spoken to the Immigration Department director-general about the issue. 'It appears the glitch is linked to the Interpol screening system used for foreign nationals. We've never experienced a breakdown of this scale before,' he told The Star. 'We've received numerous complaints, and we will be holding a meeting to see how we can better manage this situation.' At the BSI complex alone, there are 39 autogates for exits and 29 for entry, while KSAB has 12 in operation. As of press time, some of the autogates were already coming back online in stages nationwide, and foreigners have been able to use them since 4.30pm yesterday. A security official said it would take some time before all the autogates are fully operational. Meanwhile, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who made a surprise visit to the BSI complex, expressed disappointment over the system disruption, which lasted for more than 24 hours. 'Operations at the country's border checkpoints have yet to reach the level of efficiency we expect,' he said. Onn Hafiz added that such incidents not only inconvenience the public but also affect the image of the state and the nation. Since June 1, 2024, visitors from 63 countries, as well as diplomats serving in Malaysia and their family members, have been eligible to use the autogates for faster clearance. The AKPS has assured the public that they are working closely with the Immigration Department to identify and resolve the root cause as soon as possible.
New Straits Times
27-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Counter-setting probe: Foreigners willing to 'camp out' at KLIA for days
SEPANG: An investigation into counter-setting has revealed that foreigners looking to enter the country in this way spend days at the arrival hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) probe showed that they would loiter in groups or among other foreign travellers. According to Sinar Harian, these foreigners are willing to remain there for extended periods of time after arrival while awaiting a call from syndicate agents to walk a "safe route" through Immigration checks — a practice otherwise known as counter-setting. The arrival of these foreigners is arranged by certain agents using social visit passes but they fail to comply with the conditions of entry. A MCBA surveillance operation found that some of these foreigners were seen remaining in the arrival hall for two days. After arriving, the group would pretend to be tourists and linger in certain areas, particularly those with facilities such as seating, phone charging points, and toilets, in an attempt to deceive enforcement officers conducting daily surveillance. When approached, some tried to flee or caused a scene by shouting and refusing to show their passports. They were even found to have return tickets but had deliberately cancelled them. A Pakistani man detained by MCBA showed his passport but failed to present a return flight ticket, and the details of his hotel booking was found to be suspicious. KLIA MBCA commander Ibrahim Mohd Yusof said attempts to bring in foreigners without complying with legal entry requirements continuously occur. "(The syndicates) use various methods and exploit loopholes, including colluding with officers who lack integrity. "These foreigners have been found loitering beyond the allowable time period without reporting to the Immigration counters, particularly in the arrival hall. "They also gather in specific locations to avoid inspection or wait for agents or intermediaries to arrange their illegal entry," he said. Ibrahim added that there were attempts to enter the country under the guise of legitimate activities such as skill training, sporting events, or tourist packages under invitations or collaborations with third parties based in Malaysia. From January to April this year, a total of 8,796 entry rejection notices were issued at KLIA Terminals 1 and 2. "The countries with the highest number of rejections are Bangladesh (3,673 people), Pakistan (1,749), India (1,598), Indonesia (717) and Vietnam (197). "Of those denied entry, 87.23 per cent were men and the other 12.81 were women," said Ibrahim. He welcomed the government's initiative through the Home Ministry to expand the use of the automated gate system, including the use of the MyBorderPass application.( "This initiative greatly assists in addressing the issue of counter-setting at entry points, particularly at KLIA, and helps reduce congestion at manual checkpoints during entry and exit, especially during peak hours. "MBCA remains committed to ensuring strict control at all KLIA entry points," he added. Ibrahim said that measures already implemented or currently underway include strengthening surveillance teams, especially at high-risk areas such as the international airport arrival halls. Regular monitoring of on-ground officers has also been enhanced to ensure all staff adhere to current directives, act professionally, and do not compromise on job integrity. "MBCA also conducts real-time screening and surveillance via closed-circuit television (CCTV) on field officers and suspicious travellers, including those who fail to report promptly to the immigration counters after arrival. "We greatly appreciate the vigilance of the KLIA community, who share information and lodge reports regarding the presence of suspicious foreigners in their areas," he said. On May 18, MBCA received a report, and based on the information, successfully detained four Bangladeshis who had failed to report for immigration checks after arriving several days earlier. "Cross-agency collaboration is also being strengthened to enable swift response to intelligence related to syndicates or any form of abuse of the country's entry channels," said Ibrahim. He said these measures are proactive steps to safeguard national security and the integrity of the immigration system from being undermined by external elements seeking to break the law.
The Sun
25-04-2025
- The Sun
MyBorderPass app to simplify immigration for hajj pilgrims
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry has urged prospective Malaysian hajj pilgrims to download the MyBorderPass application and complete their registration, to enable the use of the QR code autogate. The app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The ministry, in a statement today, expressed confidence that this digital approach will not only enhance the efficiency of immigration operations but also improve the overall travel experience for Malaysian hajj pilgrims. For the first time, the immigration clearance process for Malaysian pilgrims during the 2025 hajj season will be simplified through the Makkah Route initiative, using QR code autogates integrated with the MyBorderPass application. 'With this system, pilgrims will no longer need to present their passport books when passing through immigration checks at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The ministry also highlighted that using QR codes allows pilgrims to check travel restrictions through the MyBorderPass app, with the immigration clearance process being much faster, taking only five to seven seconds, compared with the 15 to 25 seconds required with the conventional autogate method. Additionally, the system enhances security and service efficiency by leveraging the latest technology, while also reducing the risk of leaks. The first flight of Malaysian pilgrims to the Holy Land for the 2025 hajj season is scheduled for April 29. A total of 632 hajj personnel were dispatched to Saudi Arabia in stages, starting yesterday, to prepare for the hajj season operations. They include 358 under the welfare delegation and 274 under the medical delegation.
