IF you were among those who threw away the white arrival/departure cards for foreigners travelling into Malaysia, you may have to queue up for them again.
Signs have been put up at immigration booths to alert travellers that it will soon be necessary to fill up the cards again.
The New Paper contacted the Johor immigration department and was directed to call the checkpoint itself.
There, immigration officer Shahrul Nazrie confirmed that all foreigners will need to present white cards from 16 Jul to gain entry into Malaysia.
It had been reported in January that the cards were being done away with. Johor immigration deputy director Johari Yusof had told The New Paper then: "We are using a new system, which doesn't require visitors to submit the card."
Mr Shahrul, who did not know why the white cards were being reintroduced, said the instruction had been passed down from the federal Department of Immigration in Putrajaya.
The New Paper was unable to reach the department yesterday.
SURPRISED
A 57-year-old housewife, who wanted to be known as Madam Nair, said: "I'm surprised. I guess something didn't work out since they did give it a try."
Madam Nair, who visited relatives in Malaysia in May, is planning another trip at the end of this month. "I preferred it without the white card," she said. "It's a hassle getting a white card and making sure you don't lose it."
But she is not too worried as she travels by coach, and the bus companies usually provide passengers with the white cards.
Mr Basril Nizam, a tour manager whose company takes tourists to Malaysia daily, was "very upset" by the news.
The 27-year-old said: "It would be a big hassle. After they scrapped it, we took it for granted that we didn't need it any more."
Mr Basril is also concerned that traffic jams may occur if travellers do not have the white cards filled up.
Engineer Sadagopal Kuppusamy, 54, who drives to Malaysia about three times a month, said traffic had been smoother since the white cards were dispensed with.
"The white card is inconvenient because we have to queue for it and sometimes the counters are very crowded," he said.
Mr Sadagopal has not thrown away his white cards. "I still have about five or six pieces," he said. But it's not clear whether the same cards can still be used.
This article was first published in The New Paper on July 11, 2008.
