JOHOR BARU: All lanes at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine complex here are set to be automated by year-end to improve clearance and ease congestion.
Johor works, transportation, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said presently, BSI has 18 manual inbound counters and another 18 outbound.
“I understand that the Home Ministry is currently working it out and hopefully we can upgrade the manual counters by this year.
“The manual counters will be equipped with facilities that allow QR code immigration clearance,” he told reporters after visiting a 2.2km road upgrading project in Kempas here yesterday (Feb 27).
He added that the matter would be discussed in detail in a meeting on traffic congestion at BSI, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
Mohamad Fazli said the meeting would discuss the timeline and the number of manual counters that would first be upgraded.
He added that there is a need to keep the manual counters as backups in the event of technical difficulties, even after they have been upgraded with automated clearance systems.
“Travelers who encounter issues when going through facial recognition could then try using the QR code for clearance.
“If they still face issues, they can then try using the fingerprint biometrics clearance system. If that still fails, they will be referred to the manual counter for assistance,” he added.
On Feb 19, 26 new e-gates, offering QR code and facial recognition, were installed at BSI, bringing the number of e-gates to 39 units inbound and 29 units for outbound traffic.
Mohamad Fazli said the facial recognition system has been working well, with close to a 99% success rate where travelers can clear Immigration in a few seconds.
Meanwhile, when asked about updates on a shortcut as a third route for pedestrians to access BSI, he said the matter would be brought up again in the meeting with Fadillah on Monday.
“The state government supported the reopening of the shortcut as it could kill two birds with one stone by providing convenience to commuters and eases traffic congestion at the two existing entrances at Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Jim Quee.
“However, the Home Ministry disagreed, owing to concerns about security as the area could also be accessed by cars and buses. I will bring up the matter again in the upcoming meeting for consideration,” he said.
The Star previously highlighted that pedestrians, including pregnant women and senior citizens, had asked for the shortcut near Hako Hotel along Jalan Lingkaran Dalam here to be reopened.
The route had been opened before Covid-19 hit, making accessing the BSI easier for pedestrians.
The Home Ministry closed the route during the pandemic, citing security reasons, which forced pedestrians to walk about 1.5km around the building to enter the Immigration clearance area.
The two existing access routes to the BSI are along Jalan Jim Quee and Jalan Tun Razak.
