Heightened security during holiday season necessary, says ICA

[Pal]

The Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is stepping up security checks during the holiday season, it said at a media briefing on Monday (Dec 21).

ICA said that between January and October this year, it caught 622 cases of Singaporeans attempting to exit the country without the appropriate travel documents. There were 690 of such cases for the whole of last year.

In addition, there were 3,500 cases of foreigners attempting to enter Singapore without appropriate travel documents in the same period this year, despite having already passed the Malaysian checkpoints. This surpasses the 3,400 cases recorded for the whole of last year.

More details:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 66126.html

[x9200]

The Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is stepping up security checks during the holiday season, it said at a media briefing on Monday (Dec 21).

ICA said that between January and October this year, it caught 622 cases of Singaporeans attempting to exit the country without the appropriate travel documents. There were 690 of such cases for the whole of last year.

In addition, there were 3,500 cases of foreigners attempting to enter Singapore without appropriate travel documents in the same period this year, despite having already passed the Malaysian checkpoints. This surpasses the 3,400 cases recorded for the whole of last year.

More details:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 66126.html

I don't understand what these numbers have to to with the increased security and terrorism.

[TMD]

The Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is stepping up security checks during the holiday season, it said at a media briefing on Monday (Dec 21).

ICA said that between January and October this year, it caught 622 cases of Singaporeans attempting to exit the country without the appropriate travel documents. There were 690 of such cases for the whole of last year.

In addition, there were 3,500 cases of foreigners attempting to enter Singapore without appropriate travel documents in the same period this year, despite having already passed the Malaysian checkpoints. This surpasses the 3,400 cases recorded for the whole of last year.

More details:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 66126.html

I don't understand what these numbers have to to with the increased security and terrorism.

Are you suggesting those 3,500 cases of attempted entry using invalid documents post no security threat ?

[PNGMK]

The Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is stepping up security checks during the holiday season, it said at a media briefing on Monday (Dec 21).

ICA said that between January and October this year, it caught 622 cases of Singaporeans attempting to exit the country without the appropriate travel documents. There were 690 of such cases for the whole of last year.

In addition, there were 3,500 cases of foreigners attempting to enter Singapore without appropriate travel documents in the same period this year, despite having already passed the Malaysian checkpoints. This surpasses the 3,400 cases recorded for the whole of last year.

More details:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 66126.html

I don't understand what these numbers have to to with the increased security and terrorism.

Are you suggesting those 3,500 cases of attempted entry using invalid documents post no security threat ?

Yes I do. Terrorists aren't idiots.

[x9200]

^^, Besides, these 3k5 + 0.6k cases, I would expect ICA is 100% or near 100% efficient if it comes to detecting people without valid documents. Always, every single day, not that they need to be on some sort of alert. We are not talking about forged documents (if the case, they would call it this way) but regular cross-border check.

[TMD]

I don't understand what these numbers have to to with the increased security and terrorism.

Are you suggesting those 3,500 cases of attempted entry using invalid documents post no security threat ?

Yes I do. Terrorists aren't idiots.

If they aren't idiots, why are they called "terrorists" and not “freedom fighters” or “rebels with a cause” ?

[TMD]

^^, Besides, these 3k5 + 0.6k cases, I would expect ICA is 100% or near 100% efficient if it comes to detecting people without valid documents. Always, every single day, not that they need to be on some sort of alert. We are not talking about forged documents (if the case, they would call it this way) but regular cross-border check.

You expect 100% efficient ?

This is a tall order in a real world operation, not counting the fact the Woodland is easily one of busiest transnational checkpoint in the world. One simply can't have the best of both worlds of enjoying smooth flowing traffic while demanding "100%" perfection in document checks.

[x9200]

Do you want to say that it is a norm in Singapore that people without valid documents pass the check point? Like I would hand over to them an expired passport instead of a valid one? I can only answer to this - wow. I can understand something like this may happen if the documents are forged (I mentioned it), but for any more obvious case and having each and every document scanned... well. Wow.

[TMD]

Do you want to say that it is a norm in Singapore that people without valid documents pass the check point? Like I would hand over to them an expired passport instead of a valid one? I can only answer to this - wow. I can understand something like this may happen if the documents are forged (I mentioned it), but for any more obvious case and having each and every document scanned... well. Wow.

Why would you think normal people would wanna deliberately use invalid travel doc when it will clearly inconvenient themselves and others ? Plus the immigration officials from "the other side" are lax in their job, allowing an usually large no. of foreign travelers with invalid doc to proceed to Singapore, making security enforcement that much harder and a longer queue.

[x9200]

It was just an example, but ultimately it's irrelevant deliberate or not. So is the point on the other side - the whole discussion is about the detection rate on the ICA side only. Longer queues should not be excuse to loosen the security measures.

[ScoobyDoes]

Longer queues should not be excuse to loosen the security measures.

Wrong way round.....security checks should not lead to longer queues since security checks should always be done.

What lengthens queues is the volume of traffic in comparison to the number of open counters, plus the fact that now checkpoint traffic flow funnels all transport through just one exit lane onto the BKE. A lot has as much to do with the filtering of cars onto the BKE and having one more check on one more check. Proper procedure, not just slowing traffic and filtering more and more, is what is required - one good, concise check then done, not check here, check there, filter, check, filter, drive over barriers, through barriers, filter, check drive over barrier then hit the BKE......finally.

[lucassmith]

Tried heading over to nearby Malaysia for a weekend getaway last week.
Never doing it again.
Was stuck in traffic for a total of 6 hours.

Absolutely ridiculous.

[PNGMK]

Tried heading over to nearby Malaysia for a weekend getaway last week.
Never doing it again.
Was stuck in traffic for a total of 6 hours.

Absolutely ridiculous.

+1 but think of the children!

[nakatago]

Tried heading over to nearby Malaysia for a weekend getaway last week.
Never doing it again.
Was stuck in traffic for a total of 6 hours.

Absolutely ridiculous.

You might as well have flown over!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Tried heading over to nearby Malaysia for a weekend getaway last week.
Never doing it again.
Was stuck in traffic for a total of 6 hours.

Absolutely ridiculous.

You might as well have flown over!

Who was it who poo-pooed my suggestion of that about a week or so ago? You could have flown to JB a whole lot faster than 6 hours.