Malaysia completes biometric border clearance pilot at Singapore border

Authorities in the Malaysian state of Johor say plans are being finalized for the implementation of a biometric border clearance system at the border with Singapore.

The system will be announced soon following the end of a three-month pilot during which three different solutions were trialed, said the state Committee Chairman for transportation, infrastructure and communications, Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.

The trial, which ended on August 31, involved the use of three mobile applications for border checks at the Johor-Singapore maritime border and related crossing points. These applications included MyTrip and MyRentas, as well as the MyBorderPass facial recognition and QR code scanning-based app developed by Barisan Mahamega Sdn Bhd.

More than 320,000 commuters used the three apps during the pilot, according to the authorities, and many of them are now calling for the implementing of a single border clearance system in the area in order to smoothen the border crossing process.

Some motorists are quoted as insisting on having one system, arguing that the three that were used for the trial caused some confusion among users. However, they acknowledge the importance of the digital clearance system, saying they are convinced it will go a long way in facilitating passenger flow even at peak moments of traffic.

“We want a good system to be implemented to ease the movement of people, especially with the upcoming Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. We are aware that there could be more than one vendor appointed, but we want a system that is installed properly and maintained,” Salleh says, as quoted. The country has been taking measures since the start of this year to facilitate border crossings as part of the push to ramp up cross-border trade.

Singapore airport biometric clearance system rejects many travelers

In a related story, it has been reported that an automated biometric clearance system from Idemia installed at Singapore’s main airport has turned back a high number of travelers. Idemia supplied its Augmented Borders Suite of ID-Look devices and back-end systems for a contactless Automated Border Control System in 2023. The firm has had a presence in Singapore airports since 2017.

The Straits Times quotes the State Minister for Home Affairs, Sun Xueling, as saying during a parliamentary meeting that since the system was introduced in May at the Changi Airport, many travelers have failed to have access into the country.

Although she didn’t give any numbers, she explained that the new system allows for a pre-arrival risk assessment of travelers which makes it easy to flag persons on a watchlist.

Speaking about one advantage of the system, the minister of state said: “Repeat travelers, including those who had committed crimes in Singapore, who try to enter via a different identity, will be flagged by our biometric database, because we would have captured their biometrics on their previous visit.”

Article Topics

Barisan Mahamega  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  IDEMIA  |  Malaysia  |  pilot project  |  Singapore