Living in JB

[Analytical Professor]

Customs is usually country specific.

Like you cant bring in alcohol from malaysia to spore....

Unless they find a way to work that out....

However immigration may be easier since they definitely cooperate a fair bit on the security and immigration part... This one may be easier....

They had been talking about this sometime back. Am hoping that they implement the single check point soon. Like when you enter Malaysia, you only check-in at Malaysia custom and no more Singapore custom. And when you enter Singapore, you only check-in at Singapore custom and not Malaysia custom. That will definately ease the jam a lot lot more.

 

[Analytical Professor]

No Bro we have MACS. We were not required to thumbprint.

I am confused.:confused

My wife was thumb-printed 2weeks ago and we were informed this is a one off as she has a MACS. This was to complete their records. Do you have a MACS? If so then must be some record keeping error!

 

[Skippy]

No Bro we have MACS. We were not required to thumbprint.

I am confused.:confused

Hmm... It sounds like got double standards.... i've been travelling using the woodlands checkpt... didn't encounter with the thumbprint either by car or taking the bus. But i found something interesting is that for MACS, there's a fast lane for us instead of the normal queue. There's 2 lanes using the machine (something similar for the M'sian) to scan and 2 lanes where there are the officers that check which is the traditional method. Guess what... we humans aren't that receptive to the new change as usual the queue is longer using the traditional method. I think we all would feel much safer, afterall it's still crossing the borders though we have MACS.

Happie TGIF!

 

[hangyong]

Hmm... It sounds like got double standards.... i've been travelling using the woodlands checkpt... didn't encounter with the thumbprint either by car or taking the bus. But i found something interesting is that for MACS, there's a fast lane for us instead of the normal queue. There's 2 lanes using the machine (something similar for the M'sian) to scan and 2 lanes where there are the officers that check which is the traditional method. Guess what... we humans aren't that receptive to the new change as usual the queue is longer using the traditional method. I think we all would feel much safer, afterall it's still crossing the borders though we have MACS.

Happie TGIF!

so that means with MACS, we can simply just go to the machine, scan and go?

And mind letting us know which 2 lanes has these features?

 

[Skippy]

so that means with MACS, we can simply just go to the machine, scan and go?

And mind letting us know which 2 lanes has these features?

Oopps... i meant when taking public bus arriving at the Msia immigration... there were long queues for the foreign passport lanes so i went to the far end found that there was the MACS lanes and queue was much shorter. As for the machine check in ones, there was not even more than 3 pple using. I guess for cars there's no MACS lanes as yet... it would be great if there's one such lane.. hee hee sorry that i wasn't very clear for my earlier post...

 

[hangyong]

Oopps... i meant when taking public bus arriving at the Msia immigration... there were long queues for the foreign passport lanes so i went to the far end found that there was the MACS lanes and queue was much shorter. As for the machine check in ones, there was not even more than 3 pple using. I guess for cars there's no MACS lanes as yet... it would be great if there's one such lane.. hee hee sorry that i wasn't very clear for my earlier post...

alamak... made me happy for a while there.... haha

 

[tansi]

I have been thumbprinted twice in two weeks. Anyone can explain what is going on at the Malaysian 2nd link immigration? I tot at most one time is enough but I was shocked when they asked me to thumb again 1 week later when I am entering. There is usually a jam when this procedure of thumbing is in place. For woodlands side, I tink its much much worse since its school holidays

quite sure it is a lack of standard operating procedure; if not, then a lack of training. I got in & out by 2d link many times with MACS before an officer asked me to thumbprint. He then put a sticker in my passport & advised me to show it if I would be asked to thumbthumb again. However, since then no officer ever ask me.

 

[euphony]

alamak... made me happy for a while there.... haha

actually i dun think its feasible knowing how many cars cut queue all the time. sure cars without macs also want to join since its 'faster' which will defeat the purpose whereas human traffic easier to coordinate, if wrong lane just chuck the person out to re-queue again. car, must reverse block traffic etc.

 

[euphony]

Hmm... It sounds like got double standards....

Happie TGIF!

actually is triple quadruple standards. m'sia is any pattern also can so long as its done which in a way is refreshing vs. just follow law that we're so used to in SG... =p

 

[hangyong]

actually i dun think its feasible knowing how many cars cut queue all the time. sure cars without macs also want to join since its 'faster' which will defeat the purpose whereas human traffic easier to coordinate, if wrong lane just chuck the person out to re-queue again. car, must reverse block traffic etc.

in that case... all lanes should have the machine! :-)

 

[Skippy]

alamak... made me happy for a while there.... haha

Hangyong Bro... Bu hao Yi Shi nei... rang ni bai kai xin le... sori sori...

 

[euphony]

I cant fathom whats happening either.

Luckily euphony had warned me in advance. So i was mentally prepared.

I have travelled during all previous school holidays... This is the first time i see such heavy traffic past mid nite.

And yes got lotsa spore cars too

here's my thesis:

1. severe potholes have began to emerge on the ramp up to CIQ cars slowing down.
2. increased traffic esp. m'sian coming in to play casino couple with m'sian school holidays on their side.
3. the m'sian customs side slow down due to thumb print business and they started scanning passports. My MY one got scanned i noticed, previously just flip and go some even just wave me off.
4. the ultra late ones prolonging the queue is because follow sky-cam delay entry but eventually need to cross to get back home?

Do i need to defend my thesis or should I be awarded the PhD(causewaiology) haha feeling a bit light hearted because I skipped work plenty early today got stuck just now but reached home and chilling out. Heading to check out new place at LF to take measurements etc. can't wait.

 

[cathylmg]

here's my thesis:

1. severe potholes have began to emerge on the ramp up to CIQ cars slowing down.
2. increased traffic esp. m'sian coming in to play casino couple with m'sian school holidays on their side.
3. the m'sian customs side slow down due to thumb print business and they started scanning passports. My MY one got scanned i noticed, previously just flip and go some even just wave me off.
4. the ultra late ones prolonging the queue is because follow sky-cam delay entry but eventually need to cross to get back home?

I find this traffic problem only started on Monday where school holiday officially starts. The way entering the Malaysia custom from Singapore is jammed all the way up from tebrau highway to Pandan City. Beyond that I do not know. But once up the north-south highway will be very smooth.

Also this new system of putting a sticker on the passport is, I suspected, adding to the delay in clearing the queue. Don't know who is the smart aleck who came out with this idea of the sticker. I hope they stop it completely. :(

 

[Grago]

quite sure it is a lack of standard operating procedure; if not, then a lack of training. I got in & out by 2d link many times with MACS before an officer asked me to thumbprint. He then put a sticker in my passport & advised me to show it if I would be asked to thumbthumb again. However, since then no officer ever ask me.

You right, there's a sticker in wife's passport.

 

[Grago]

Pardon me folks...

Bro Wuqi to help.

Bro Grago to be the critic

Ok.Ok, thank you for your confidence in me...... Bro Ap I'll buy a Jazz beer when we meet, the 'weight' of my fame is now becoming a burden!!!!!!:*: Will GPS coordinates do Bro hangyong!!

 

[hangyong]

Hi bet you just got involved with malaysia trips recently? During school holidays the jams at the causeway and 2nd link is horrible. Its very normal to wait for 1 hour at the custom sometimes just to cross over to the other side.

This is only the June holidays.. considered not so serious.. last year around Dec and Christmas season, the jams are particularly bad and its practically jammed from 7am-1130pm during normal days around the festive seasons as everyone is rushing in to shop. Its not that bad during CNY though!

Anyway this is one of the main reason why I am not planning to stay in jb for good and shuttle to Singapore to work daily. When sch holidays come, my legs will go numb from the jams.

haha.. yah, you are right! for bad jams.. I think 1 hour is ok, I was stuck in one for 2 hours plus. but that one was on a Singapore Public Holiday.

So I guess the jam is always bad during school holidays, be it on weekdays or weekends?
What about in the wee morning hours like 4~5am in the morning? Jam also? I am still thinking of bringing my family up Cameron on 22~26 June

 

[hangyong]

Ok.Ok, thank you for your confidence in me...... Bro Ap I'll buy a Jazz beer when we meet, the 'weight' of my fame is now becoming a burden!!!!!!:*: Will GPS coordinates do Bro hangyong!!

haha, coordinates do me siah... :-)

Just hope when its done, it will benefit others as well.
Alot of Navigation softwares are using the free community maps from there now, and it can still be used offline.

 

[cathylmg]

haha.. yah, you are right! for bad jams.. I think 1 hour is ok, I was stuck in one for 2 hours plus. but that one was on a Singapore Public Holiday.

So I guess the jam is always bad during school holidays, be it on weekdays or weekends?
What about in the wee morning hours like 4~5am in the morning? Jam also? I am still thinking of bringing my family up Cameron on 22~26 June

I have been crossing the straits daily for 2 weeks. I leave my house at Setia Tropika at 5.35am and reach Malaysia custom before 5.55am. No jam on both side.

 

[hangyong]

I have been crossing the straits daily for 2 weeks. I leave my house at Setia Tropika at 5.35am and reach Malaysia custom before 5.55am. No jam on both side.

thanks for the info, cathy!!!!!!

 

[tansi]

Gaming is good.... But he will have to get into hi end gaming for the buck.

Unless he comes up with something extremely innovative/creative/popular and cheap.

I empathize with parents who have to advise their children what to study. What we knew during our school days seem irrelevant to the ever changing present days. Happened to read a web page on local tertiary education,
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/04/26/our-dying-animation-industry/
It talks about local animation course, won't know if other fields hv similar problem.