Test drive for QR code system at Johor checkpoints

Traffic congestion at the Johor Causeway heading to Singapore. The Immigration Department is working on introducing a QR code immigration clearance system. — Filepic

A PILOT project to test the implementation of a QR code immigration clearance system in Johor will be carried out in June, says state Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir.

The pilot project is expected to be carried out at both the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQs).

“The initial plan is for the pilot project to be carried out starting from June.

“However, there is a possibility for this to happen at a later date. It depends on whether the infrastructure and system being developed for the QR code clearance are ready by then,” he told StarMetro.

He said for a start, the QR code immigration clearance would only be implemented on factory buses travelling through BSI and KSAB.

“We will only be carrying out the pilot project on factory buses. If everything runs smoothly, it will then be expanded to include other modes of transportation.

“Johor will be the first state in the country to implement a QR code immigration clearance system,” he said.

StarMetro had previously reported that frequent travellers between Malaysia and Singapore had hoped to see a swift implementation of the QR code immigration clearance system at their two land border checkpoints.

They said the system could save time and ease traffic congestion.

On March 19, Singapore started rolling out an initiative that allowed motorists arriving and departing from its Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints to use QR codes instead of passports for immigration clearance.

To present the QR code, travellers must generate their code via a mobile app before arriving at the immigration counters.

First-time foreign visitors and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from the previous trip will need to present their passport for immigration clearance.

They will only be able to use QR code clearance on their subsequent trips.

During the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone on Jan 11 this year, both Malaysia and Singapore agreed to explore initiatives to make things as seamless as possible.

This included the adoption of a QR code system on both sides to speed up immigration clearance.