A major technical failure at key Johor land checkpoints has caused widespread disruption, leaving tens of thousands of travellers stranded in long queues while attempting to cross into or out of Malaysia. The incident has significantly affected cross-border travel between Johor Bahru and Singapore, a route heavily relied upon by daily commuters, tourists and foreign workers.
The most severe congestion has been reported at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, commonly known as BSI. Foreign passport holders were forced to wait up to two hours to clear immigration after most autogates at the facility stopped functioning. The breakdown occurred amid a surge in weekend traffic, exacerbating an already strained system.
According to officials on the ground, the problem had been developing over several days, with multiple autogates experiencing intermittent issues before the system ultimately collapsed. The scale of the failure caught many travellers off guard, particularly those relying on faster automated clearance for time-sensitive journeys between Johor and Singapore.
Growing Pressure on Border Infrastructure
At BSI alone, at least 39 autogates at the entry points and 29 machines at the exit areas within the bus halls were reported to be affected. Even autogates located at the KTM train station within the complex were rendered offline, further compounding congestion for rail passengers.
The situation at the nearby Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ, also known as KSAB, was comparatively more manageable, although all 12 autogates at that facility were also affected by system limitations. Malaysian passport holders were still able to use certain automated lanes, while immigration clearance for motorcycles and private cars continued to function normally.
Security personnel confirmed that emergency measures were activated, with all available manual counters opened to process travellers. The Border Control and Protection Agency was tasked with managing crowd flow and ensuring safety, while technical teams worked to restore the system in stages.
Tourism and Economic Impact Looms Large
The timing of the disruption has raised concerns, especially as Malaysia ramps up tourism efforts under Visit Malaysia and Visit Johor 2026. Johor’s land checkpoints are among the busiest in Southeast Asia, handling hundreds of thousands of travellers daily, many of whom are foreign visitors entering from Singapore.
Extended delays at immigration checkpoints can have knock-on effects on tourism revenue, cross-border business operations and consumer confidence. Travel insurance queries, hotel booking disruptions and missed transport connections were among the immediate concerns raised by affected travellers.
This is not the first time Malaysia’s autogate system has come under scrutiny. A similar nationwide outage last year affected more than 380,000 foreign visitors at major checkpoints, highlighting ongoing challenges in maintaining critical border infrastructure amid rising travel demand.
Authorities have since indicated that an official advisory will be issued to alert travellers to expect delays and to plan their journeys accordingly. For Singapore-based commuters and tourists heading into Johor, the incident serves as a reminder to factor in additional buffer time and stay updated on border conditions, especially during peak periods and holiday weekends.