Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkeye007
Bros going to Batam should take note that those going in from SG will now have to fill up a health declaration form and also go through the infra-red heat scanner; all these will definitely increase the time taken to clear immigration.
My friend went to Batam yesterday (disembarked at Harborbay) and was delayed by almost 40 mins because of the additional measures.
|
Thermal check has been done routinely in KUL airport for all international arrivals since a few years, I think since the spreading of suine and avian flue. It is interesting to note that the Malaysian authorities have set this simple check at arrivals in KUL, but not at the land border with Singapore. That is, no check on people from Singapore by bus.
The check is done simply by a camera pointed at the flow of people passing by. People does not have to stop in front of it: they just keep on walking, zero additional delay. People with higher than normal temperature is highlighted with a different color on the screen, manned by an employee.
The health declaration form, which we read about, is given before arrival or upon arrival at Batam border. It cannot be more complicated than the standard immigration form used in Singapore or in Indonesia until a short time ago.
I say all this, to say that I don't understand how this could affect the waiting time at immigration. If these additional measures are the real reason that made your friend to wait 40 minutes, it means that Indonesian Immigration officers really know how to make complicated and chaotic something that should be very simple.