JOHOR BARU: While Malaysians celebrated National Day, frontliners at the country’s busiest land gateway were busy making sure those crossing the Causeway could do so safely and smoothly.
Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) senior official N. Sangari said there is no rest for those on duty at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine complex, which operates round the clock.
“We are trained to always be ready. My job is to supervise counter operations and also handle referred cases across the various zones, including those for cars, motorcycles, lorries and pedestrians.
“Although there was a tinge of sadness that I could not spend the holiday with my family, I see it as a sacrifice for the country to ensure the safety of travellers and keep their journeys moving smoothly,” said the 27-year-old.
Sangari worked two shifts on Monday from 8am to 3pm before returning for another from 11pm to 8am the following day.
“While the traffic at BSI was not exceptionally heavy, there were still cases requiring attention and careful resolution, but the tiredness was worth it,” she added.
AKPS official Brolly Avio Zibie said eight years of working at the border has changed the way he looks at working on public holidays.
“When I first started working, I would see my friends enjoying their holidays and think, ‘I want to experience that too.’
“I have come to see things differently because the sacrifice is something not everyone gets to make,” said the 29-year-old who previously served at BSI’s immigration counters before moving into management duties six months ago.
Originally from Sabah, Brolly said working multiple shifts a day also means sacrificing precious time with family, as he only gets to return to his hometown two or three times a year.
“Thankfully, I share my life with someone who understands the demands of a civil servant.
“My wife and I just got married two months ago. She is a medical laboratory technologist at Hospital Sultanah Aminah and was also on call on National Day,” he said.
He said that working at a busy border crossing like BSI could be physically and mentally demanding, especially during times of congestion, but officers must remain vigilant against document fraud, smuggling and attempts by illegal immigrants to enter or exit the country.
As a gesture of appreciation for their sacrifice, sets of sandwiches and drinks were presented to 400 frontline personnel and support staff, while another 100 were given to Malaysians travelling through the complex.
The distribution was spearheaded by the AKPS BSI administration to show gratitude to duty personnel.
“The Merdeka sandwich programme was aimed at showing appreciation to those on duty during the public holiday while fostering patriotism and a sense of togetherness,” said AKPS BSI commander Roszita Dim.
