Malaysia-Singapore immigration authorities boost efficiency at the border

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) have agreed to facilitate the implementation of operations and development of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Railway (HSR).
JIM Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali (pix) said upon completion, the project was expected to assist in resolving the problems of traffic congestion at the Johor Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua).
"It is also expected to improve the efficiency of the traffic network movement, strengthen economic ties and bring closer relations between the peoples of the two countries," he said in a statement here today.
He said the matter was discussed at the fifth meeting of the two agencies at a Malaysia-Singapore Bilateral Meeting on immigration in Singapore yesterday.
Mustafar, who had led the Malaysian delegation, said the meeting also discussed the Rapid Transit System (RTS) which would be operational at Bukit Chagar in Johor to the Woodlands North station in Singapore which was also expected to assist both countries in tackling the problems of congestion at the Johor Causeway and Tuas Inspection Centre.
Mustafar said JIM and the ICA were also prepared to exchange information on forging of documents at the entry points for both countries which jeopardised security and the smoothness of human entry and exiting for both countries.
In addition, he said capacity building aspects would also be improved through the exchange of programmes for training of officers and international conferences to be implemented by Malaysia.
"They include the Defence Services Asia (DSA) Exhibition in April 2018 and the conference of Directors-General of Immigration Departments Asean and the Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DGICM) where Malaysia had been selected as the host in August 2018,"Mustafar said.