Large crowd forms at JB customs checkpoint after autogates shut down, travellers wait for hours

Non-Malaysians forced to use manual counters at JB customs after autogates shut down

Singaporeans returning to Singapore after a weekend across the Causeway had to add hours to their travelling time as the autogates went down.

In a post on social media platform XiaoHongShu, a traveller said the autogates stopped working at about 12 noon on Sunday (8 Dec).

This resulted in her being stuck in the large crowd that formed for about two hours.

JB customs autogates down at about 12 noon on 8 Dec

A traveller posted in the 柔新关卡Both Checkpoint 分享站 Facebook group for border crossers at 12.18pm that the autogates were all “resting” as he was trying to leave JB to enter Singapore.

The only option for travellers was the manual counters, he said.

At 12.32pm, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) warned on Facebook of delays as a result of “heavy departure traffic at Woodlands Checkpoint due to tailback from Malaysia”.

This had not subsided by 1.48pm, according to another netizen who shared a photo of the scene at that time.

He also posted an image of non-operational autogates with “no entry” signs flashing on their screens.

A netizen claimed that an officer told her the autogates were down due to an Internet outage affecting the building.

Shorter wait for clearance for M’sian passport holders

At 2.51pm, a traveller said the queues were long but it was “not crowded”.

A comment left on his post said the queue was moving fast, with a wait of only five minutes — if you were a Malaysian.

Sure enough, a netizen posted at 3.18pm that Malaysian passport holders heading to Singapore could be cleared via QR code or physical passports in about 10 minutes.

However, foreigners, including Singaporeans, would have to wait about 60 to 80 minutes to be cleared via the manual counters.

This was confirmed by another netizen who said there were officers checking Malaysian passports without needing to scan them.

Counters opened for all S’pore-bound travellers: M’sia immigration

At 3.55pm — close to four hours after the autogate outage — ICA said the heavy traffic due to tailback had subsided.

The Immigration Department of Malaysia for Johor state posted on Facebook at 4.20pm, saying counters had been opened for all visitors heading to Woodlands to clear the congestion in the hall.

No “unusual” traffic is taking place at other check zones inside the building, it added.

However, a video posted at 4.33pm showed that a large crowd remained over at the JB checkpoint, with travellers unable to enter the hall.

Another photo shared at around the same time showed Singapore-bound commuters trying to squeeze into a narrow corridor at the JB checkpoint.

The user who posted it cautioned those heading to Singapore to “think twice” as the system was down.

Autogates back online from 6.30pm

The autogates finally went back online from 6.30pm, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

However, the cross-border buses couldn’t accommodate the large crowd waiting at the bus stops.

At 6.36pm, a user shared a Facebook reel of people crossing the Causeway on foot in both directions.

Netizens said those who decided to walk were probably put off by the long queue for buses.

Also read: Long Queues At JB Checkpoint After Power Outage As Travellers Can’t Use E-Gate Facilities

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Featured image adapted from Ethen Tee Kok Wee on Facebook.