Malaysia’s app for passport-less immigration clearance gets users’ thumbs up, despite glitches and data security concerns

However, when he checked a week later, the statement disappeared and has not reappeared since. 

“I’m not sure as to the reason for the disappearance of this statement, but I’m still hopefully that this app (and other government apps) can be synchronised via the back end with the MyDigitial ID as a Single Sign On so that we don’t have to register different times for different government applications,” said Ong, who is also former deputy minister of trade and industry. 

CNA has reached out to Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs to clarify if there are plans to sync the MyBorderPass with MyDigital ID, and if they would allay concerns on data security, glitches as well as develop a single QR code for multiple travellers.

Yet, aside from these concerns, there is optimism about the app and hope among current users that it is expanded to more international border checkpoints and to increase the number of lanes at existing checkpoints. 

Chellannu, who rides his motorcycle across the land borders, urged that the app be expanded to the motorcycle lanes at KSAB, which is linked to Tuas Second Link. 

“I live in Gelang Patah on the west side so I prefer to use the Second Link. Currently KSAB does not support MyBorderPass for motorcyclists, only BSI,” he said.

Singh – the product head of a Singapore IT company – told CNA that at BSI, there are only two immigration lanes who support bus travellers using MyBorderPass, which pales in comparison to around 20 other lanes that support immigration clearance using passports.

CNA observed a similar arrangement when it visited BSI on Tuesday.

“(Immigration) should raise awareness to more people and expand it to more counters because this can accelerate traffic in a big way,” said Singh.

He also used the app when returning to Malaysia via air travel at KLIA and saw that there were 20 counters available.

“I hope that this (initiative) can be expanded to other airports around the country as well in the different states like Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching,” he added.

Ong, the academic, stressed that the app facilitating passport-less clearance is a positive move to attract investors for the long term, including in southern Johor where the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with Singapore is located.

“The MyBorderPass app is a step in the right direction towards faster immigration clearance for the SEZ especially when the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link starts operating in early 2027,” said Ong.

“The logical next step would be to allow non-Malaysians who are frequent travellers to Malaysia to be able to use this app especially for immigration clearance at the Malaysian-Singapore border.” 

Additional reporting by Ahmad Zamzahuri Abas