Malaysia automating border checkpoints to combat illegal crossings

The next two years are pivotal to Malaysia’s border modernization. The latest news announces the expansion of e-gates and biometrics use nationwide, while a month ago saw the introduction of MyDigital ID for authenticating Malaysians traveling abroad.

Malaysia has planned to deploy automated immigration gates and biometric verification across the country by 2028. Facial recognition and the Automated Biometric Identification System will be expanded.

Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the measure will enable human resources to be directed toward “more challenging enforcement and investigation tasks.”

“The installation of 635 automatic gates at 125 country entrances by 2028 will reduce dependence on manual inspections by immigration officers because routine inspection matters will be handled through technological systems,” Zakaria told Bernama.

The supplier for Malaysia’s new biometric e-gates was not disclosed, but previous contracts have gone to Datasonic, prior to its rebrand as NexG.

The plan will apply across Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complexes (ICQS) via the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS). Staffed counters will remain as back-ups in case of system outages or technical problems.

Zakaria’s department leads the development and implementation of screening technology, enforcement and system operations. The director-general highlighted the ongoing digital transformation of Immigration, which includes strengthening local and central server infrastructure.

The updated system is expected to indirectly combat illegal crossings, such as along hotspots in Kedah, Kelantan and Perlis. The busy checkpoints between Singapore and Malaysia are also seeing increased biometrics use.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) launched a trial enabling motorcyclists to use face biometrics at Woodlands Checkpoint. The ICA said the trial’s duration would depend on feedback as it proceeds.

At Singapore’s bus halls of Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, travelers can already take advantage of passport-less clearance using face or iris biometrics. Idemia provides the Automated Border Control System (ABCS) and Borderguard Lanes used across Singapore’s air, land and sea checkpoints.

At Malaysia’s Johor Bahru’s border complexes, 40 new NIISe eGate units and 145 QR code scanners will be installed to handle motorcycle, car and pedestrian crossings.

Malaysian citizens departing the country are now required to authenticate themselves using MyDigital ID when accessing the National Integrated Immigration System (MyNIISe) mobile application. The mandate started on January 15.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border security  |  Datasonic  |  facial recognition  |  identity verification  |  Malaysia  |  NexG Bhd