Latest news with #checkpoints
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
M'sian drivers who jump queue at S'pore checkpoints risk ban, warns ICA
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints during the June school holidays, particularly during the Hari Raya Haji weekend between June 6 and June 9. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Singapore has warned motorists, including Malaysians, that they risk severe penalties, including blacklisting and a possible ban, if they jump queue at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it will be on the lookout for inconsiderate drivers, especially in view of the June school holidays, The Straits Times reported. Mardiana Masdar, team leader at the integrated operations centre at the Woodlands checkpoint, said ground officers who spot vehicles jumping queue will alert the team at the operations centre. They will relay this information to traffic controllers near the checkpoint to direct them to make a U-turn to rejoin the queue. '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 queue,' she said. In June 2023, a Malaysian driver 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. The ICA said traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints during the June school holidays, particularly during the Hari Raya Haji weekend between June 6 and June 9. The authority said that during the long Wesak Day weekend between May 8 and May 13, more than three million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. The traffic volume peaked on May 9, with more than 546,000 travellers clearing immigration at both checkpoints in one day.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Caught cutting the line at Woodlands or Tuas? Singapore's ICA says expect a U-turn or a blacklist
SINGAPORE, June 1 — As the June school holidays begin in Singapore, the country's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers are stepping up enforcement against motorists who attempt to jump queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. The Straits Times reported today that motorists caught trying to cut ahead in line risk being forced to make a U-turn to the back of the queue — and could face tougher penalties such as blacklisting or bans from entering via vehicle in future. Inspector Mardiana Masdar, team leader at the Integrated Operations Centre at Woodlands Checkpoint, said queue-jumping incidents spike during peak hours, when traffic congestion is most severe. Speaking at a virtual interview on May 28, she stressed the seriousness of such violations. '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,' she was quoted as saying. She added that officers on the ground alert the control team when they spot such behaviour, who then direct the offending drivers to make a U-turn. Repeat offenders or those who refuse to comply may be banned from entering the checkpoint by vehicle and will have to use alternative transport. She cited a 2023 case involving a Malaysian driver who, after being caught queue-jumping, refused to turn back and drove off instead. 'Because of his non-compliance and dangerous driving, the driver and car were banned from entering Singapore,' she said. Traffic volume at land checkpoints is expected to be especially high from June 6 to 9, which includes the Hari Raya Haji weekend. ICA said in a May 23 statement that during the recent Wesak Day long weekend (May 8–13), over three million travellers cleared both checkpoints. On May 9 alone, more than 546,000 crossed the borders — one of the highest single-day figures this year. Crowds had also caused jams of up to five hours over the May 3 Polling Day weekend. Checkpoint officers are bracing themselves for similar or worse conditions during the June holidays. Inspector Eileen Neo Hui Xin, an assessment and investigation officer at Woodlands Checkpoint, said the long waits often lead to flared tempers. 'Everyone wants to travel smoothly. And during peak periods, it is very difficult to manage people's expectations and to manage the ground properly,' she was quoted as saying. 'Balancing efficiency with security standards is tough, but it also makes the work fulfilling.' Officers have also had to deal with motorists becoming verbally abusive, though Insp Neo noted most are ignored unless they cross the line. Wet weather further complicates clearance procedures — especially for motorcyclists, whose wet fingerprints may fail to register on automated lanes, leading to delays. To avoid unnecessary delays, travellers are urged not to carry prohibited items. Checkpoint Inspector (1) Kendri Parwira Suhairi, 38, a first response team officer, recalled stopping a Singaporean couple who brought batons they claimed were for home defect inspections. 'At one glance, I knew that was not the case,' he said. The couple were referred to police, and the items deemed controlled. CI (1) Kendri said, 'We remain vigilant 24/7. At the end of the day, we are the first line of defence at the border.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Traps West Bank Palestinians Between Checkpoints, Gates
From early morning to late at night, local radio stations in the West Bank offer a service akin to weather or currency updates elsewhere: live 'crossings' reports. But here, they serve a grimmer purpose, helping Palestinians navigate a maze of Israeli military checkpoints that can make a routine trip a matter of life or death. 'The northern entrance to al-Bireh is closed in both directions. The Atara-Birzeit gate is shut. Heavy traffic and inspections at the Atara village gates. Rawabi entrance is open. Ein Siniya is clear. Traffic jam and inspections between Yabrud and Silwad.' The broadcast goes on, listing over a dozen closures, bottlenecks, and military checkpoints. Since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched a deadly military campaign in Gaza and stepped-up operations across the West Bank, residents have grown accustomed to checking the radio before stepping out — not for rain or sun, but for which roads are open, and which are militarized. For many Palestinians, every journey now begins with a calculation: which route is less likely to end in detention, injury, or worse. Some simply stay home, avoiding the uncertainty and humiliation altogether. The network of closures has turned normal life into a logistical nightmare. Key junctions like the Container checkpoint near Bethlehem and Hamra in the Jordan Valley are often closed in both directions, while entrances to towns such as Salfit, Dura, Sa'ir, and al-Arroub are blocked entirely. Even areas with relatively light congestion, like al-Nashash or Kalandia checkpoint, can see delays due to sudden inspections or shifting policies. The consequences of these restrictions can be deadly. Palestinians still recall the killing of 29-year-old Mohammad al-Jundi, who was shot near a newly erected checkpoint in Beit Jala. Witnesses say he had stepped forward to help an elderly woman open a locked gate, a simple act of kindness that cost him his life. 'They executed him in the middle of the street,' one local resident said. What was meant to be a brief walk home turned into an irreversible tragedy, one emblematic of a broader reality in which daily travel through the West Bank is anything but routine. Mahmoud al-Azza left his home in Bethlehem early, hoping to make it to his university classes in the nearby town of Abu Dis. Instead, he found himself stuck in a long line of cars at the Container checkpoint - one of the most notorious in the West Bank, dividing its northern and southern regions. Al-Azza quickly realized he would miss his first lecture. Still, he clung to the hope of attending the rest. But three hours passed, then five. He was trapped, along with hundreds of others, unable to move forward or turn back. Prisoners in their own vehicles, waiting for a soldier's whim. 'I thought I might have to delay my semester,' al-Azza told Asharq Al-Awsat. 'The problem is that this happens every day now. They close the checkpoint at random times for one, two, even three hours. We just stand there, waiting for a soldier to feel like letting us through. It's humiliating, exhausting.' Before October 7, 2023, such disruptions occurred sporadically, al-Azza said. Now they are constant. 'Every hour, every day, they either shut the checkpoints entirely or inspect each car slowly, checking every ID. It's as if they're doing it on purpose, to humiliate us. We can't take it anymore.' The Container checkpoint is one of hundreds of roadblocks and iron gates scattered across the occupied West Bank, a system Israel has built up since 1967 and expanded drastically since October 7, 2023, when war erupted in Gaza and security tightened across the West Bank. A Landscape of Barriers According to the Palestinian Authority's Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, there are now 898 Israeli military checkpoints and iron gates across the West Bank. Of those, 146 were added after October 7, and 18 more were installed in just the first five months of 2025. 'These include old, new, permanent, and rotating barriers,' said Amir Daoud, Director of Documentation and Publication at the commission. 'It reflects a consistent Israeli policy, one of systematic closure and control since 1967.' The tightening web of checkpoints across the occupied West Bank is not just a security measure, but a strategic reconfiguration of Palestinian space, aimed at fragmentation and control, according to Palestinian officials. 'What we are witnessing today is unprecedented,' said Daoud. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Daoud accused Israel of attempting to impose a new spatial reality on Palestinians, one that overrides familiar roads and territories with a framework of closures, surveillance, and exclusion. Since October 7, 2023 - the date that marked the start of Israel's war on Gaza and a sweeping parallel crackdown in the West Bank - gates have become the defining feature of the Israeli occupation's infrastructure, Daoud said. 'Before October 7, the closure system generally targeted large geographic zones, isolating the north from the south, for example. Today, it operates differently. The focus is on isolating individual communities, like villages. That's a new pattern.' Daoud also raised alarm over the changing character of Israeli forces manning the checkpoints. 'Previously, the soldiers were regular army personnel, trained to some extent, with at least minimal instruction to abide by international law,' he said. 'Now, we are seeing militias, including members of the religious Zionist movement and others who are openly driven by ideology and vengeance. They are not there to maintain order; they are there to punish. They are imposing an oppressive environment designed to break the will of the people.' Israeli military checkpoints have now encircled virtually every Palestinian town and village in the occupied West Bank, transforming daily life into a tightly regulated existence defined by gates and roadblocks. In Hebron alone, there are 229 checkpoints. Ramallah has 156, and Bethlehem 65, a network that includes iron gates sealing off entire villages and refugee camps, effectively turning them into open-air prisons. For many Palestinians, especially those living in gated communities, life has become a series of negotiations with steel barriers. Residents must plan their work, education, and even medical appointments around the unpredictable opening times of these gates.
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Planning a trip to Malaysia in June? Brace for hours-long jams at Singapore checkpoints
SINGAPORE, May 23 — The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) here has warned travellers to expect 'very heavy' traffic at land checkpoints with Malaysia during the June school holidays and Hari Raya Haji weekend. The congestion period will span from May 31 to June 29 for school holidays, with an additional surge expected during the Hari Raya Haji long weekend from June 6 to 9, CNA reported. Travellers should consequently expect much longer waiting times to clear immigration during these peak periods. The authority also advised motorists checking traffic conditions before beginning any journey to the checkpoints. Cross-border bus services are recommended as an alternative to avoid the worst of the vehicle congestion. During the recent Wesak Day weekend in May, car travellers faced waiting times of up to three hours due to traffic backup from Malaysia. The ICA stressed that travellers must cooperate with officers and maintain proper traffic discipline. More than 3 million people crossed both land checkpoints during the Wesak Day period, with over 546,000 clearing immigration on the peak day of May 9. ICA has warned it will take action against those who fail to follow instructions during the busy travel period.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Travelers breeze through Sky Harbor Airport as REAL ID deadline arrives
The Brief Sky Harbor Airport reported minimal delays as REAL ID deadline arrives for travelers in the U.S. Most of the people we spoke with were prepared and ready with the correct ID for the nationwide change. Others didn't even know today was the day for the change over. PHOENIX - The deadline has arrived. Fliers now need to have a REAL ID to get past checkpoints at airports. Many expected long lines at checkpoints today, but for the most part everything has been smooth. What we know It's been a pretty normal travel day, all things considered, with 5 to 10-minute waits all day. Maybe it's because travelers heeded the warnings, but it was hard to find anyone without a REAL ID. What they're saying We asked several travelers: Did you bring the right ID for today? "Of course I did!" Did you guys bring the right IDs today? "Yes." Were you concerned about flying today? "Not at all." Did you get her early? "No." You knew it would be problem-free. "I wasn't expecting anything." Were you a little nervous to fly on this day? "Not at all." Did you get here earlier than you normally would have? "Well I like to take my time." Traveler after traveler told me they already had their REAL ID and it was smooth flying. The other side Not everyone wanted to share. "Not flying today," said one traveler. Some didn't even know today was the deadline for the enhanced ID or a passport to fly. Did you get to the airport a little earlier today? "I totally forgot today was the day. So, ha!" said another. Local perspective "I am happy to report that today, May 7th, at Phoenix Sky Harbor, and actually the United States, travelers responded and they've done so positively," said Patricia Mancha with TSA. She said if you didn't have a REAL ID, they had to pull you aside to ask more questions, similar to a credit check. "If we have 100 travelers who don't have REAL ID and you're number 99 on that list, it's very likely we may not verify you in time for you to make your flight. Time is your friend. Make sure you get here early," said Mancha. Dig deeper We took our search for a flier with our REAL ID from the check-point, down the escalator to baggage claim and asked just about everyone until we found one person. Person 1 "I'm not from the US." So you come with a passport no matter what. You're good to go. "Yea I need a passport." Person 2 Did you have the REAL ID for today? "Yeah." Any issues traveling? "No." Where'd you fly from? "Dallas" Person 3 Did you have the REAL ID today? "Yes I do sir thank you." Easy travel? "Yes sir." Person 4 Were you worried about flying today? "A little bit because my wife didn't have one dude." You don't have a REAL ID? The backstory Harmony was supposed to fly yesterday. "My mother-in-law was like you know, 'you have to have your REAL ID by May 7.' I was like 'We were flying out on the 6th, no problem,'" said Harmony Leifer. But problem! Her flight was delayed until Wednesday. It surprised her though how quickly she breezed through security. They just took my ID and said, 'hey come on in,'" she said. They didn't ask you any extra questions or anything? "No. Maybe that's bad, but they didn't," she said. "They let me through. Maybe it's the first day I don't know." To get an up-to-date REAL ID, you can visit the Department of Transportation's nearest MVD location.
