Sungai Tujuh Border Checkpoint To Issue Visas On Arrival
MIRI, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Starting Dec 1, travellers will be issued visas on arrival (VOAs) at the Sungai Tujuh border checkpoint on the Sarawak-Brunei border.
Ministry of Home Affairs secretary-general Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said the issuance of VOAs at the border checkpoint would attract more tourists, including skilled workers in the oil and gas sector in Brunei, to come here using the overland route.
"The foreign workers from India and Nepal who need visas to enter Malaysia will be charged RM100 for the VOAs per entry," he said after visiting the border checkpoint, here Monday.
Currently, the VOAs are issued at the KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang and at the Second Link checkpoint in Johor Baharu.
The issuing of VOAs at the Sungai Tujuh checkpoint is also to attract tourists from Brunei totalling more than two million annually.
Aseh said Brunei and Malaysia had agreed to expand the use of the "Frequent Travellers Card" (FTC) at other border checkpoints in Sarawak and Immigration officials from both countries had met to sort out the details.
He said the use of FTCs based on the smartcard system had reduced processing time at the Sungai Tujuh border checkpoint.
It will be implemented at the other border checkpoints of Tedungan, Pandaruan, Mengkalap in Limbang.
Aseh who also visited the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex, said development of the second phase of the project would be expedited to cater to increased tourist arrivals at the Brunei-Sarawak border.
He said a consultant had to be appointed before opening the tender for the project costing RM40 million.
Work on the first phase of the project costing RM30.4 million began last April and is expected to be completed by April 2008.
The Immigration Department also received approval for 132 additional posts in Sarawak.