The Straits Times
10 January 2019

Aiming for faster clearance, while ensuring security

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) thanks Mr Tan Soon Hock and Mr Gan Chin Kian for their letters, (Hire retired, retrenched people to boost ICA manpower and Why hasn't recurring problem of congestion at land checkpoints been solved?; both published on Dec 29, 2018).

Our land checkpoints are among the busiest in the world with daily usage averaging about 400,000 travellers. The number goes up to about 430,000 during the year-end festive season.

Unlike air and sea checkpoints where travel volume is subject to landing and berthing space, traffic volume at land checkpoints is dynamic and subject to surges which cannot be completely predicted.

ICA officers at the land checkpoints have to handle a variety of scenarios and may be redeployed at any time to areas which require more support. For example, officers could be reassigned from departure to arrival counters or vice versa, or be ready to clear cars instead of lorries, to adjust to real-time demand.

Border checks are our first line of defence against external security threats. ICA officers have to ensure that they do not compromise security while managing congestion.

We place great importance on ensuring that our officers have the competencies to perform these jobs well.

In this regard, retired Home Team officers with relevant experience form a suitable pool of resources, and ICA has already been employing them to augment our manpower during peak periods.

ICA has also expanded the use of technology to automate clearance. For example, since December 2016, ICA has installed 164 automated clearance lanes at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, which has helped increase the clearance speed of motorcyclists by 30 per cent. Tuas Checkpoint also implemented bus scanners in July last year to enable ICA officers to check buses more effectively and efficiently. These initiatives have helped to alleviate waiting time and also cut reliance on manpower.

ICA will continue to find ways to improve clearance efficiency at the land checkpoints without compromising security.

Brenda Tham (Ms)
Deputy Head, Public & Internal Communications
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

<Original Letters>

The Straits Times
29 December 2018

Hire retired, retrenched people to boost ICA manpower

Recently, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said that "we don't have enough manpower", and that only Singapore citizens can be Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers (Checkpoint officers working their guts out: Shanmugam; Dec 28).

Everybody would agree that only Singaporeans can be ICA officers.

But there are thousands of retrenched and retired Singaporean professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who can be considered for employment as ICA officers, perhaps on a part-time basis.

They can also perform office duties, for example, handling passport applications and renewals at the ICA Building.

Such a move will free up the regular ICA officers for deployment at the front line at checkpoints, especially during peak travel seasons.

Having enough part-time ICA officers would also help ensure that the regular ICA officers are not overworked through overtime duties, which may affect their vigilance on the job.

It will also be easier for these regular ICA officers to take leave.

Of course, this may allow us to see more checkpoint counters being manned and opened, as well as provide more employment opportunities for our retrenched and retired Singaporean PMETs.

Tan Soon Hock

++++++

The Straits Times
29 December 2018

Why hasn't recurring problem of congestion at land checkpoints been solved?

It is heartening to know that Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam is taking a keen interest in the congestion problem (Checkpoint officers working their guts out: Shanmugam; Dec 28). I also appreciate the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers for their hard work.

As Mr Shanmugam noted, such congestion has occurred in previous years. During non-holiday seasons, congestion at the land checkpoints has also been the norm for years.

It seems that manpower shortage is the root cause of the problem.

As this has been a problem for years, it is hard to understand why it has not been solved for so long.

Perhaps the ICA can let the public, especially the users of these checkpoints, know what measures it has taken over the years to alleviate the manpower shortage.

Such problems do not seem to exist at the air and sea checkpoints, where immigration processing is a breeze compared with the land checkpoints.

It is very frustrating for land checkpoint users to see unmanned booths while they are stuck waiting for their turn.

Perhaps the ICA can consider employing some excess staff permanently to deal with increased demand in times of congestion.

The additional cost can probably be justified by the amount of fuel saved and the air pollution avoided.

Gan Chin Kian