PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a decisive directive to ensure that technical disruptions at Malaysia’s entry points, including the recent autogate failure at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor, do not recur.
The instruction comes as the country prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, a period expected to see a significant increase in tourist arrivals.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail conveyed the Prime Minister’s directive during a high-level coordination meeting, as reported by Director-General of the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.
Speaking after the handover of appointment letters to AKPS commanders, Mohd Shuhaily acknowledged the public frustration caused by the recent autogate malfunction and apologised for the inconvenience.
He emphasised that the Prime Minister placed “extremely high emphasis” on preventing a repeat of the incident. “This must not happen again, especially during Visit Malaysia 2026,” he said.
Mohd Shuhaily clarified that the AKPS has not yet taken over the autogate system at BSI, which remains under the management of core agencies, but insisted this was not an excuse for the disruption.
He outlined measures to prevent future failures, including early detection of system issues and immediate reporting to headquarters for troubleshooting.
“During this upgrade, glitches may occur due to data migration and infrastructure issues. What matters is how quickly we troubleshoot and respond when systems fail,” he said.
He instructed all AKPS commanders to act swiftly in the event of a system breakdown to maintain smooth operations, including facilitating manual processing if necessary.
“Commanders must react fast to ensure entry and exit remains smooth, even if manual processing is required. If counters are not operating, that is a commander’s failure,” he stressed, adding that he would personally attend to critical situations on the ground if needed.
The directive follows a recent incident at BSI, where tens of thousands of travellers were stranded in long queues due to a failure in most immigration eGates, affecting primarily foreign passport holders.
While the eGate system has yet to fully recover, border operations have continued, limiting the wider impact on travel.
Anwar’s order highlights the government’s proactive stance on safeguarding operational efficiency and resilience at Malaysia’s ports of entry.
It signals a commitment to ensuring that technical issues do not disrupt travel or compromise the country’s reputation as a secure and accessible destination ahead of the anticipated surge in international visitors during Visit Malaysia 2026. - January 12, 2026
