Foreign motorists in Singapore now have to stick to local rules and laws, the immigration department has advised after a fight between a Singaporean couple and officer at a police checkpoint.
Singaporeans who have vehicles and refuse to comply with directives have been encountered by the department's passport control personnel. There are some other incidents which include verbal abuse and even physical threats against immigration men.
Datuk Rohaizi Bahari, director of Johor Immigration Department said that if a foreign motorist is entering or exiting via the country's gazetted land checkpoints, they have to follow the instructions, including Malaysian law.
According to Malay Mail, the foreign motorists should cooperate with "Immigration Department officers manning the passport control counters to ensure a smooth and hassle-free entry or exit."
There is another restriction on the use of mobile phones for taking pictures and videos in any Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) areas, gazetted security checkpoints or customs.
A Singaporean couple on Tuesday were arrested while going home by Malaysian Immigration officers. Later the conversation turned to a fight at the passport control counter in the Sultan Iskandar Building's CIQ.
According to reports, the same couple aged 30 and 24, were earlier involved in another argument with a passport control counter officer. They had apparently threw their passports twice towards the officer in charge.
The Immigration Department has reported the case under Section 56(1)(g) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963, for obstructing an immigration officer from discharging duties.
In Johor, there are two gazetted land checkpoints. One is via the Causeway in the city centre and another one is Second Link crossing in Tanjung Kupang.
According to reports, almost 20,000 Singapore-registered vehicles enter neighbouring Malaysia every day via these two check posts.
But during the weekends, the number increases, as Singapore people go to Malaysia for shopping and other services due to the foreign exchange factor.
