FTC Trial at Two More Control Posts Next Year

FTC Trial at Two More Control Posts Next Year

By Jainuddin Djimin

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei and Malaysia have agreed to extend the trial of Frequent Travellers Card (FTC) to two more control posts beginning mid 2007.

This was revealed by Director of Malaysian Immigration, Raja Azhar Abdul Manaf after a meeting with Brunei's Acting Director, Immigration and National Registration Department, Haji Zainal Abidin, at the Water Front Hotel in Labuan last week.

Currently, Sungai Tujoh Control Post in Kuala Belait and in Miri are the lone exit and entry points between the two countries that allows the use of FTC.

Due to positive feedback from Sungai Tujoh Control posts, both countries have decided to extend the facility to two more control posts - Pendaruan Sarawak and Puni in Brunei and Tedungan Sarawak and Kuala Lurah in Brunei.

Meanwhile, Bruneians visiting Labuan and vice versa will have to wait for the time being as the matter is still under consideration.

"Regarding Labuan, we are still studying the possibility because it doesn't involve travel by land. However, efforts to find a way to introduce FTC will be part of the agenda of the Technical Work FTC Meeting," said Raja Azhar.

He added that if the FTC trial used at all exit and entry points proves to be a success, both governments through the respective Ministry of Foreign Affairs will endorse FTC as a law, making it legal -for residents from both countries to use their Mykad/Smart IC as a legal document for travel between the two countries instead of passport.

The first pilot project using FTC began at Sungai Tujoh in Belait and Miri in June 2005.

The FTC is aimed at helping frequent travellers between the two countries to avoid stamping their passports nearly half a dozen times for every visit.