March 02, 2023, 11:36 AM
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In a bid to ease customs congestion, Malaysia allowed Singaporeans to use the automatic e-gates when they arrive in Malaysia through Woodlands and Tuas since Jan. 20, 2023.
Previously, only Malaysian passport holders were allowed to use the e-gates.
However, the expanding of the e-gate's user base was criticised by DAP State Assemblyman for Johor Andrew Chen Kah Eng, as he claimed that customs congestion had worsened ever since.
Image via Facebook Andrew Chen Kah Eng 曾笳恩
Singaporeans blamed for not registering
"Do you know what the problem is? Currently, Malaysians and Singaporeans use the same system, but many Singaporeans do not know they have to register beforehand. Yet they keep trying even when it doesn't work and hence affect the clearance process for everyone else," Chen said via a Facebook post on Feb. 28.
He said that while Singapore also allows Malaysians to use their automated clearance systems, Singapore reserves lanes for Singaporeans — a privilege, he emphasised, not available in his own country's customs for his people.
Image via China Press 中國報
Chen is formally asking Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs to resolve the problem by reserving lanes for Malaysians and upgrading the system.
Singaporeans say they had registered
However, Singaporeans who faced trouble using the e-gates claimed they had already registered.
Zhang, a 21-year-old Singaporean student, told Shin Min Daily News that she visits Johor Bahru once or twice every month.
Hence, she registered for e-gate access sometime in February this year.
"But when I used the e-gate, the screen showed that the system can't retrieve my information, so I ended up queuing again," Zhang recounted what happened when she was at customs on Feb. 28.
Image via Facebook Andrew Chen Kah Eng 曾笳恩
She also said she was one of many Singaporeans with the same problem.
She claimed it only took around 40 minutes to clear the customs in the past, but she ended up wasting an extra hour.
How to register for e-gate access?
Singaporean visitors will need to hold an electronic biometric passport with a validity of at least three months.
A copy of the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card will also have to be submitted online at least three days prior to arrival.
First-time users of the e-gates will also need to verify their biometric data at the immigration counter.
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Top image via Facebook Andrew Chen Kah Eng 曾笳恩
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