Trials for immigration checks using only QR codes instead of physical passports, for Malaysians going through the bus and motorcycle lanes at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Johor Bahru, are running smoothly since starting on Jun. 1, 2024.

In a media statement shared on Facebook on Jun. 4, the Department of Immigration Malaysia (JIM) director-general Ruslin Jusoh said that the trial has garnered positive feedback from users in Malaysia.

117,000 users have downloaded the MyTRIP mobile application and around 13,846 people have used it to cross borders.

A similar trial using another app, MyRentas, is being carried out at the bus lane at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) complex.

Only applies to Malaysians for three months

According to Malaysia English-language newspaper The Star, the MyTRIP app, which is integrated within the MySejahtera app, has been working smoothly at KSAB.

Users are encouraged to generate the QR codes one hour before passing through immigration counters.

Current trials will last for three months.

Only Malaysian citizens are involved in the current trial period, including those passing through bus and motorcycle lanes in KSAB, and those passing through the bus lanes in BSI.

The system aims to speed up immigration clearance between Johor Bahru and Singapore.

Trial at BSI initially postponed to two weeks

The QR code trial at BSI initially experienced delays due to technical issues, reported The Star.

The trial at BSI was supposed to kick off on Jun. 2 and initially postponed to two weeks, reported Malaysia English-language newspaper New Straits Times (NST).

This is because those passing through BSI would need to use the MyRentas app instead for the trial and the vendor is still finalising the app at the time, said Malaysia official Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh as quoted by NST.

The Malaysian immigration authorities are now in the final stages of updating the app to ensure smooth trials at BSI.

Ruslin said: "The Malaysian Immigration Department is always committed to ensuring the implementation of the QR Code in CIQ KSAB and CIQ BSI runs smoothly to facilitate the movement of exit and entry at the Malaysia-Singapore border."