QRT helps cut down queue times at Johor CIQ, says Immigration DG

JOHOR BARU: The short-term Quick Response Team (QRT) initiative implemented by the government has helped to improve the congestion issues at the Johor Causeway, says Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

He said improvements could be seen after QRT measures such as adding more staff to man the counters at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ), especially during peak hours, were put in place starting Feb 6.

Previously, the documentation process of some 1,400 vehicles could be done in one hour and after the QRT was introduced, he said, the department could now process up to 2,300 vehicles within the same period.

“This is provided the motorists and passengers do not have clearance issues and sufficient Touch ‘n Go balance.

“As for passengers who enter the country via bus, they can also enjoy faster clearance time now that Singaporeans are also allowed to utilise the e-gate feature, which was previously limited to Malaysian passports only.

“It used to take the authorities about four to five hours to clear the arrival hall, which has a maximum capacity of 3,000 people; now it takes about three hours to complete the immigration clearance process for the same amount of passengers,” he said after visiting the BSI CIQ on Sunday (Feb 12).

Khairul Dzaimee added that allowing Singaporeans to use the e-gate at the CIQ has contributed to the overall improvement.

“However, since this was allowed on Jan 20, only about 16,000 Singaporeans have used the e-gate to scan their passport, much lower than our targeted 35,000.

“We will be handing out flyers next week to the targeted group to create more awareness among Singaporeans, especially day trippers who visit Johor for shopping and other recreational activities,” he added.

The QRT was first implemented at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2 before it was done in Johor’s CIQs at the Causeway and Second Link to overcome the problem of overcrowding and traffic congestion.