MIRI: The Sungai Tujoh Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex will undergo a RM3.576 million upgrade to alleviate congestion at Sarawak’s northern gateway.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin announced that the project, funded by the Sarawak government, will take nine months to complete, running from March 10 to December 9, 2025.
The contract has been awarded to ZM Capital Sdn Bhd through an open tender process.
Speaking at the project handover ceremony at ICQS Sungai Tujoh today, Lee said the long-overdue upgrade aims to reduce traffic bottlenecks, especially during festive seasons, when long queues are a recurring issue.
“This is a short-term solution to address the severe congestion at Sungai Tujoh.
“A complete upgrading of the complex is needed, including a more efficient computerised immigration system similar to Singapore’s, such as facial recognition technology, to ensure smoother processing for travellers,” he said.
The upgrade will include:
- new lanes and resurfacing works, including premix roads, road furniture, speed bumps, and roadside drains for both entry and exit lanes,
- eight additional immigration and customs booths to improve processing speed,
- new public toilets (six stalls each for men and women),
- demolition and reconstruction of the existing fishbone-shaped customs booths, replacing them with 10 new booths, and
- construction of an open metal shed, shelter and covered walkway for improved facilities.
Lee recalled that Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg visited the site on March 7, 2024, after the Chinese New Year peak travel period, and approved RM4 million for the project.
Sungai Tujoh is a critical border checkpoint for Sarawak, serving not only Bruneian travellers but also international visitors from 94 countries.
With rising vehicle numbers and an increase in bus services from Pontianak and Brunei, there is an urgent need for a more efficient and seamless immigration system.
“The long-term solution is a full-scale upgrade of the ICQS complex, including modernising the immigration processing system to ensure smooth and efficient travel.
“We urge the federal government to provide additional funding for this crucial border crossing,” Lee added.
Upon completion of the project, authorities plan to separate vehicle lanes into two categories – one for Malaysian-registered vehicles, and another for Brunei-registered vehicles – to further ease traffic flow.
“This will significantly improve the efficiency of the border crossing and reduce waiting times for travellers,” Lee said.
