U-turns, bans await motorists who jump queue at land checkpoints
Drivers might think they are saving precious minutes when jumping queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.
But when they get stopped by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, they will face having to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue.
They could also be blacklisted and face further disciplinary action from the authorities.
The June school holidays have begun and traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints.
To ensure a smooth travelling experience, ICA has reminded motorists about proper road etiquette. Speaking to reporters via a virtual interview on May 28, Inspector Mardiana Masdar, 43, team leader at the Integrated Operations Centre at Woodlands Checkpoint, said queue-jumping increases during peak hours when the traffic tailback is very bad.
It is an issue ICA officers take very seriously, she added.
Insp Mardiana said ground officers who spot vehicles jumping queues will alert the team at the operations centre, who will relay this information to traffic controllers near the checkpoint to direct them to make a U-turn to rejoin the queue.
She said: "If they are non-compliant, we will refer them to our Secondary Office, where we are able to show them CCTV footage of them cutting queues."
Non-compliant culprits can face bans from entering the checkpoints using their vehicles and can only do so by other means.
In June 2023, a Malaysian driver - who was travelling from Singapore to Malaysia via the Woodlands Checkpoint - had refused to make a U-turn, and even drove off after being caught by ICA for trying to jump the queue.
Because of his non-compliance and dangerous driving, the driver and car were banned from entering Singapore.
In a statement on May 23, ICA said traffic is expected to be very heavy at both land checkpoints during the June school holidays, particularly during the Hari Raya Haji weekend between June 6 and June 9. ICA noted that during the Vesak Day long weekend between May 8 and May 13, more than three million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.
Traveller volume peaked on May 9, with more than 546,000 travellers clearing immigration at both checkpoints in one day.
Earlier, there were traffic jams lasting as long as five hours at the two checkpoints on Polling Day on May 3. May 1 was a Labour Day public holiday while May 5 was a school holiday. On Dec 20, 2024, a record number of more than 562,000 travellers crossed the land checkpoints within a day.
Inspector Eileen Neo Hui Xin, 26, an assessment and investigation officer at Woodlands Checkpoint, said motorists can get more frustrated during busy periods due to long waits that can last several hours.
She said ICA officers will usually ignore motorists who take out their frustrations on them. But when motorists become abusive, the culprits will be directed to the Secondary Office for further interviews and investigations.
Insp Neo said traffic congestion can also happen when it rains.
Motorcyclists who enter through automated lanes may face issues getting the system to detect their wet fingerprints. They would then have to be manually cleared, causing a jam.
Impatient motorists honking their horns add to the chaos.
With operations very fast-paced and demanding during peak hours, Insp Neo said it takes a lot of coordination, quick decision-making and a constant awareness to keep operations running smoothly.
She said: "Balancing efficiency with security standards is tough, but it also makes the work fulfilling. Everyone wants to travel smoothly. And during peak periods, it is very difficult to manage people's expectations and to manage the ground properly.
"We have to balance both to protect our border security and also meet (travellers') expectations."
To ensure a smoother journey, ICA advised travellers not to bring prohibited or controlled items.
Checkpoint Inspector (1) Kendri Parwira Suhairi, 38, a first response team officer, said all ICA officers at the checkpoints are trained to identify dubious travellers based on indicators like their behaviour.
He remembered a Singaporean couple who arrived several months ago with batons they tried to pass off as tapping rods for defect checks in new homes.
"At one glance, I knew that was not the case," he said.
They were referred to the police and the items were deemed to be controlled items.
CI (1) Kendri noted that during peak periods, the volume of people does not make security operations at the checkpoints any easier. But, he added, "we remain vigilant 24/7. At the end of the day, we are the first line of defence at the border".
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