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Response to "Improve passport scanner at Woodlands Checkpoint" (Straits Times, 2 Oct 2007)
Lim Jing Jing (Ms) Deputy Head Public & Internal Communications for Commissioner Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
350 words
5 October 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
I REFER to the letter, 'Improve passport scanner at Woodlands Checkpoint' (ST, Oct 2).
We appreciate the feedback on our automated immigration system given by Mr Nelson Quah's friend through Mr Quah's letter. At the same time, we are perplexed by the comments made in the letter.
First of all, we are surprised that Mr Quah's friend made eight attempts to scan his thumbprint, as both the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS) and Biometric Identification of Motorbikers System (Bikes) would prompt users to seek immigration clearance at the manual counters if they are unable to scan their thumbprints by the third try.
We are also puzzled by the voice error messages that the friend was said to have heard as both systems do not give voice instructions to users. Nevertheless, to facilitate clearance, each Bikes terminal is connected to the intercom, where the user can seek assistance from the duty officer in the control booth.
The thumbprint scanners in both systems are not designed to differentiate between wet and dry fingers, and hence do not prompt the user on the condition of the thumb.
At the same time, we are unsure why his friend had felt that it was adding insult to injury when our officer approached him to assist in his immigration clearance, after seeing that he was having difficulties in using the automated lane.
Daily, thousands of travellers use our automated clearance lanes at the various checkpoints. At the Woodlands Checkpoint, on average about 19,000 travellers, including school children, clear immigration through eIACS and Bikes each day. We regret that Mr Quah's friend did not have a smooth experience in using our automated system, and have noted his feedback.
Our officers will continue to attend to them should they need to seek immigration clearance at the checkpoints. If Mr Quah or his friend needs further clarification, they may call Deputy Superintendent Shamrudy bin Abdul Kader on 6391-6569.
Improve passport scanner at Woodlands Checkpoint
ST
2 Oct 2007
THE newly installed passport scanner and thumbprint-identification equipment at Woodlands Checkpoint leave much to be desired.
Instead of expediting the flow of human traffic from Singapore to Johor Baru, these systems are a hindrance because of the problems they generate.
The passport scanner is poorly designed. Recently, it took my friend at least five attempts before he managed to insert his passport properly so that the scanner could read the information in it. Unlike the bank teller card, there is no way to determine how far in the passport has to be inserted.
It is even more frustrating to get the thumbprint-identification equipment to recognise a thumbprint. He made at least eight attempts before his thumbprint was identified. He tried the first time and received a voice message saying 'Your thumb is too moist.' The second time, it was 'Your thumb is too dry.' It went on and on with these and other messages, such as 'Your thumbprint is too light' and 'Your thumbprint is too dark.'
Does this mean that he has to apply more pressure to enable the reader to recognise his thumbprint?
After 10 harrowing minutes, to add insult to injury, an immigration officer approached my friend and asked him to produce his passport for checking at his machine before allowing him to pass through the immigration checkpoint.
Another point is that the voice error messages from the two systems are in English. If a person does not understand English, what is he to do?
Would it not cause more delays at the two entrances if assistance was sought?
If my friend who understands English finds it a challenge to operate these systems, what could we expect of those who don't understand the language?
Could the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority please do something to improve the two systems so that they will help speed up the immigration checking process at Woodlands?
Nelson Quah
350 words
5 October 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
I REFER to the letter, 'Improve passport scanner at Woodlands Checkpoint' (ST, Oct 2).
We appreciate the feedback on our automated immigration system given by Mr Nelson Quah's friend through Mr Quah's letter. At the same time, we are perplexed by the comments made in the letter.
First of all, we are surprised that Mr Quah's friend made eight attempts to scan his thumbprint, as both the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS) and Biometric Identification of Motorbikers System (Bikes) would prompt users to seek immigration clearance at the manual counters if they are unable to scan their thumbprints by the third try.
We are also puzzled by the voice error messages that the friend was said to have heard as both systems do not give voice instructions to users. Nevertheless, to facilitate clearance, each Bikes terminal is connected to the intercom, where the user can seek assistance from the duty officer in the control booth.
The thumbprint scanners in both systems are not designed to differentiate between wet and dry fingers, and hence do not prompt the user on the condition of the thumb.
At the same time, we are unsure why his friend had felt that it was adding insult to injury when our officer approached him to assist in his immigration clearance, after seeing that he was having difficulties in using the automated lane.
Daily, thousands of travellers use our automated clearance lanes at the various checkpoints. At the Woodlands Checkpoint, on average about 19,000 travellers, including school children, clear immigration through eIACS and Bikes each day. We regret that Mr Quah's friend did not have a smooth experience in using our automated system, and have noted his feedback.
Our officers will continue to attend to them should they need to seek immigration clearance at the checkpoints. If Mr Quah or his friend needs further clarification, they may call Deputy Superintendent Shamrudy bin Abdul Kader on 6391-6569.
Improve passport scanner at Woodlands Checkpoint
ST
2 Oct 2007
THE newly installed passport scanner and thumbprint-identification equipment at Woodlands Checkpoint leave much to be desired.
Instead of expediting the flow of human traffic from Singapore to Johor Baru, these systems are a hindrance because of the problems they generate.
The passport scanner is poorly designed. Recently, it took my friend at least five attempts before he managed to insert his passport properly so that the scanner could read the information in it. Unlike the bank teller card, there is no way to determine how far in the passport has to be inserted.
It is even more frustrating to get the thumbprint-identification equipment to recognise a thumbprint. He made at least eight attempts before his thumbprint was identified. He tried the first time and received a voice message saying 'Your thumb is too moist.' The second time, it was 'Your thumb is too dry.' It went on and on with these and other messages, such as 'Your thumbprint is too light' and 'Your thumbprint is too dark.'
Does this mean that he has to apply more pressure to enable the reader to recognise his thumbprint?
After 10 harrowing minutes, to add insult to injury, an immigration officer approached my friend and asked him to produce his passport for checking at his machine before allowing him to pass through the immigration checkpoint.
Another point is that the voice error messages from the two systems are in English. If a person does not understand English, what is he to do?
Would it not cause more delays at the two entrances if assistance was sought?
If my friend who understands English finds it a challenge to operate these systems, what could we expect of those who don't understand the language?
Could the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority please do something to improve the two systems so that they will help speed up the immigration checking process at Woodlands?
Nelson Quah