JOHOR BARU: Thousands of bus commuters were delayed up to four hours when a technical glitch caused all 46 auto gates at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, here, to malfunction yesterday.
The 12.30pm glitch disrupted immigration clearance at the bus arrival and exit halls, forcing its officers to resort to manual clearances.
Immigration clearance for cars, motorcycles, and heavy vehicles was unaffected.
The officers activated contra lanes and additional manual counters to manage the crowd, with special lanes opened for senior citizens, parents with children, and Malaysian workers commuting to Singapore.
The auto gates were restored late last night, and immigration clearance has since been normalised.
The New Straits Times has contacted Johor Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus for comment.
The disruptions coincided with the weekend and long school holidays.
NST learnt that the auto gates crashed due to a network core switch failure, which is unrelated to the immigration system, and primarily affected bus commuters.
The core network was reportedly installed by a third-party appointed contractor.
The delay caused frustration among travellers mostly Singaporeans, with some voicing their frustrations on social media platforms.
Footages of the commuters were uploaded on social media, despite the fact that it's prohibited to capture pictures or record video in the hall, for security and safety reasons.
Most of the Singaporeans claimed the time wasted at the complex was not worth prices being relatively cheaper in Johor.
The republic's Immigration and Customs Authority (ICA) had posted caution in its official Facebook page, advising that there was heavy departure traffic at Woodlands Checkpoint due to tailback from Malaysia.
"Delays are expected and travellers are advised to check traffic conditions before embarking on their journey," the post read.