MIRI: The Sungai Tujoh Immigration checkpoint
will be opening almost all counters for people entering or leaving this
city every weekend until the Chinese New Year celebration in January.
According to state Immigration Department deputy director Nor Azizah Mohamad, the move is meant to accommodate the heavy traffic of visitors passing the checkpoint during this period.
This year’s latest record shows an increase of almost one million people entering and leaving Miri to 3,139,157, versus 2,28,1478 registered last year.
“We actually have 14 counters each for the entry and exit points, but due to manpower shortage, the most (counters) that we can open is up to 10 (each for entry and exit lane) at a time. Once open, every counter is fully operational.
“The number (of counters) does not include the two bus and lorry counters, which are always open. Should there be no lorry or bus passing the checkpoint, we would open those two counters to other vehicles as well,” she told reporters yesterday after receiving a visit by Assistant Minister for Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin to the checkpoint.
Accompanying Lee were Miri deputy mayor Julaihi Mohamad, Miri Immigration Department head Noryncosma Jauk, representatives of Miri Resident’s Office and local tour operators.
On weekdays, however, Nor Azizah said there would be eight counters open for processing incoming vehicles, and another eight for outgoing vehicles.
On this, Lee requested the department to strive in turning this arrangement into a long-term commitment.
“The number of people entering and leaving Miri has increased tremendously over the years – there is a need for the department to have more counters that are operational.
“The long queue at Sungai Tujoh immigration checkpoint has always been a highlighted situation, especially during school holidays and festive seasons in that it is the northern gateway to Sarawak,” he pointed out.
Lee also urged the department to computerise all visa-issuing services at the checkpoint to facilitate the process of visitors entering the state as well as to shorten the queues there.
At the moment, visitors from the People’s Republic of China arriving at Brunei and wishing to enter Miri must have their special visas processed manually at the Sungai Tujoh checkpoint.
According to Noryncosma, these visitors are issued with special visas that are manually written, and they are given ‘receipts’ to further verify the special visas.
Nor Azizah, on her part, promised Lee that she would bring up the matter for discussion with the department’s IT section.
“Our main intention is to make it easier for tourists to come to our country, particularly to Miri, because our target for 2017 is to record a number of five million visitors,” said Lee further, disclosing that he had also met the Brunei Consulate in Kuching.
“We would be having another meeting to discuss ways to smooth out the immigration procedures as well as increase the number of visitors to both countries.”
For foreigners requiring visa to visit the country, they can make applications for the various available visas online via www.imi.gov.my.
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According to state Immigration Department deputy director Nor Azizah Mohamad, the move is meant to accommodate the heavy traffic of visitors passing the checkpoint during this period.
This year’s latest record shows an increase of almost one million people entering and leaving Miri to 3,139,157, versus 2,28,1478 registered last year.
“We actually have 14 counters each for the entry and exit points, but due to manpower shortage, the most (counters) that we can open is up to 10 (each for entry and exit lane) at a time. Once open, every counter is fully operational.
“The number (of counters) does not include the two bus and lorry counters, which are always open. Should there be no lorry or bus passing the checkpoint, we would open those two counters to other vehicles as well,” she told reporters yesterday after receiving a visit by Assistant Minister for Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin to the checkpoint.
Accompanying Lee were Miri deputy mayor Julaihi Mohamad, Miri Immigration Department head Noryncosma Jauk, representatives of Miri Resident’s Office and local tour operators.
On weekdays, however, Nor Azizah said there would be eight counters open for processing incoming vehicles, and another eight for outgoing vehicles.
On this, Lee requested the department to strive in turning this arrangement into a long-term commitment.
“The number of people entering and leaving Miri has increased tremendously over the years – there is a need for the department to have more counters that are operational.
“The long queue at Sungai Tujoh immigration checkpoint has always been a highlighted situation, especially during school holidays and festive seasons in that it is the northern gateway to Sarawak,” he pointed out.
Lee also urged the department to computerise all visa-issuing services at the checkpoint to facilitate the process of visitors entering the state as well as to shorten the queues there.
At the moment, visitors from the People’s Republic of China arriving at Brunei and wishing to enter Miri must have their special visas processed manually at the Sungai Tujoh checkpoint.
According to Noryncosma, these visitors are issued with special visas that are manually written, and they are given ‘receipts’ to further verify the special visas.
Nor Azizah, on her part, promised Lee that she would bring up the matter for discussion with the department’s IT section.
“Our main intention is to make it easier for tourists to come to our country, particularly to Miri, because our target for 2017 is to record a number of five million visitors,” said Lee further, disclosing that he had also met the Brunei Consulate in Kuching.
“We would be having another meeting to discuss ways to smooth out the immigration procedures as well as increase the number of visitors to both countries.”
For foreigners requiring visa to visit the country, they can make applications for the various available visas online via www.imi.gov.my.
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