Checks carried out no matter how heavy the traffic: ICA

Today Online
28 Oct 2009


WE REFER to the letter "Just open more lanes" by Mr Chua Kheng Yeow (Todayonline.com, Oct 19).

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had explained in our earlier letter that there was a sudden surge in traffic on the night of Oct 3 when Mr Chua was caught in slow-moving traffic at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

We are surprised that Mr Chua continued to dwell on the time taken for him to travel from the immigration booth to the clearance area. We noted that in his first letter he claimed he waited for 45 minutes for a vehicle check, and yet in his second letter, this duration was shortened to 28 minutes.

The ICA would like to clarify again that the entire journey he took on the day when he used Woodlands Checkpoint was 28 minutes.

Unlike the air and sea checkpoints where immigration and security clearance of the passenger load is assisted by the predictable and regulated flow of airplanes and vessels, vehicular traffic at the land checkpoints is largely free-flowing. This can often be unpredictable and occasional surges are not uncommon. Any sudden traffic buildup at the checkpoints can be caused by a confluence of factors.

During the unexpected surge that Mr Chua experienced, we had deployed all available resources to open eight out of ten lanes in the two arrival zones. But two of the lanes in the zone that Mr Chua was in had to be temporarily suspended to deal with contraband smuggling cases that had been detected by the checking officers. In fact, Mr Chua had attested that sufficient lanes were in operation during the same peak hours when he used the checkpoint the following week.

We are glad that Mr Chua understands the need for stringent checks at our borders. What we would like to impress upon Mr Chua and all readers is that such stringent checks are carried out 24/7

The numerous smuggling cases of illegal immigrants, contraband and drugs detected in the course of our daily operations underscore the need for ICA to keep up with the security procedures in place.

We would like to advise travellers to play their part when using the checkpoints. Travellers should avoid bringing security items or contraband through the checkpoints as their actions will bring inconvenience to the other checkpoint users. Checkpoint users are also advised to use the Red Channels for customs clearance if they have dutiable items so as not to cause any unnecessary delays to the bona fide users of the Green Channels.

The ICA is mindful of the need to facilitate the movement of travellers through the checkpoints, but this cannot be done at the expense of national security. As such, we would also like to seek the understanding and cooperation of all checkpoint users when undergoing security checks. Together, we can keep Singapore safe and secure.

Ms Chia Hui Keng
Head, Public & Internal Communications Branch
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority


Just open more lanes

Today Online 
19 Oct 2009

Letter from Chua Kheng Yeow

I refer to "Security is the priority: ICA" (Oct 15) in reply to my letter "The Woodlands bottleneck" (Oct 6).

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) explained the needs to have stringent checks at the checkpoint which is an issue I did not dispute. It gave a detailed explanation about the requirements of the checks but ignored the the main cause of the jam that night. It is no wonder such unnecessary jams occur since ICA is not able to tackle the roots of the problem.

All drivers who use the checkpoint during peak hours already expect a jam and will usually give their fullest co-operation to comply with security checks.

What ICA failed to address is why only two out of 5 lanes were opened during what it referred to as "peak hours". That was the main cause of the massive jam that night. It claimed that the officers were deployed to direct traffic so that they could clear the queue and ease the congestion. What ICA fails to understand is that the jam was from the immigration booths to the clearance area - a distance of about 100 meters.

In fact, should those officers, who were directing the traffic, have done an even better job, they would have created a bigger bottleneck as more cars would have then joined the already-over crowded queue after the immigration booths.

Incidentally, I used the same checkpoint again the following Saturday - at peak hour - after the letter was published and there was no jam this time. This time, four out of the 5 lanes were opened. That made a difference.

By the way, to make drivers spend 28 minutes travelling from the immigration booth to the clearance area is certainly not efficient and is not something we should be satisfied with.