JOHOR BARU, April 8 — Immigration Department’s Quick Response Team (QRT) will be on duty for 12 hours to assist the assignment of immigration officers in ensuring smooth operation at the inspection counters of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) during Aidilfitri.

BSI Immigration head Adam Abu Hanipah said there are 12 QRT officers stationed at BSI who act as replacement officers involving all vehicle inspection counters.

"The QRT officer will be activated to ‘back up’ and help the officers at the inspection counter if the existing duty officer needs to clear a certain matter.

"Since the QRT was established in February last year, it has shown effectiveness in helping smooth operations at the inspection counter,” he told Bernama when met at CIQ BSI, here today.

He said so far there are about 260 to 280 immigration officers on duty between eight and nine hours according to morning, afternoon and night shifts at the BSI inspection counters.

"We have four groups that are assigned according to the three shifts with one group having about 260 to 280 officers on duty with the assignment being the maximum for each shift,” he said.

Adam said in the meantime that his party is always ready and committed to opening all operating counters to deal with the congestion that is expected to occur following the festival.

He also advised the public to always comply with the rules and give due cooperation and consideration in helping the smooth process at the BSI inspection counter.

Johor JIM director Baharuddin Tahir was previously reported as saying that the counter at CIQ BSI and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri will be activated if congestion occurs at both entrances to the Malaysia-Singapore Aidilfitri land routes.

Baharuddin said the number of visitors at both entrances one day before Aidilfitri to the second day of raya last year, recorded a total of 357, 265 visitors. — Bernama