JOHOR BARU: Effective today, those entering the state from Singapore will no longer have to fill up the Immigration disembarkation cards or white cards.

This will ease the hassle faced by thousands of foreigners, especially Singa­poreans.

Thousands of Singaporeans and people of other nationalities enter the state daily.

State Immigration Department director Nasri Ishak said that this was to ensure smooth traffic flow at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) in Bukit Chagar here.

“Most Singaporeans who enter the country have already recorded their data under the biometric system or registered under the Malaysian Automated Clearance System.

“There is no need for them to fill up the white cards anymore,” he said.

People of other nationalities would need to have their passports scanned and stamped by the immigration officials, he said.

“Those who are entering the country for the first time, however, will still have to have their fingerprints scanned and information recorded,” he added.

Nasri said there would be no special counter for those who had yet to get their biometric information recorded, as all counters would be equipped to handle first-time visitors.

He said that the move to discontinue the white cards was expected to reduce congestion, especially during peak hours along the Causeway and the Second Link.

“I am sure that there will be less hassle for Singaporeans but Malaysians will still have to fill up the immigration cards provided by Singapore when entering the island republic,” he said.

More than 16 million tourists, mostly Singaporeans, enter the state yearly, with the bulk of them travelling via the Causeway or the Second Link.