KOTA BHARU: The Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complex (ICQS) in Rantau Panjang was a sea of people as thousands of Malaysians working in Thailand and Thais working in Malaysia returned home to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Since early morning, the border checkpoint has been crowded with people carrying luggage and waiting for their turn to pass through immigration checks. The congestion is likely to continue until the eve of the festival.
Rantau Panjang Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) Commander Siti Khadijah Hamzah said the number of Thai nationals crossing the ICQS stood at 18,934 from March 23 until yesterday, leading to significant congestion at the border.
“Queues have begun forming since 7.30 am, at times stretching nearly four kilometres from the entry point. This situation requires authorities to enhance control measures and expedite inspections for a smoother flow of movement,“ she told Bernama today.
To reduce delays, authorities have activated additional operations and extended border operating hours to facilitate smoother entry and exit processes.
Meanwhile, Bernama’s on-site observations until 4 pm today found the Rantau Panjang ICQS extremely busy, with a continuous flow of vehicles entering and exiting.
Long lines of people waited on the pedestrian walkway for their turn to pass through immigration checks. Some stood patiently under the scorching sun, while others sat on large suitcases piled up around them.
Young children raced between groups of adults as their parents worked to keep them from getting lost in the growing crowd.
Exhaustion from the long journeys undertaken was evident on the faces of those who had just arrived. However, the excitement of returning home for Hari Raya Aidilfitri with loved ones outweighed their fatigue.
Several Thai nationals interviewed by Bernama shared their excitement about returning home. Jirawat Somchai, 35, who works in Kuala Lumpur, said he returns home only once a year and has become accustomed to the congestion at the border.
“Every year, it is always this crowded. However, I am still excited because I finally get to see my family,“ said Jirawat, carrying two large suitcases filled with gifts for his family in Pattani.
Meanwhile, another worker, Nuanthip Saensuk, 28, said she and her friends would endure the long wait to cross the border before nightfall.
“If we’re late, even more people will arrive, and the journey will take longer. We’ve been here since this morning, but we still haven’t crossed,“ she said.
Observations also showed that authorities were speeding up the inspection process by opening more counters to ease congestion.
