I AM a regular user of the Causeway, and was caught in a jam that lasted two frustrating hours on the Singapore end, last weekend. Some blamed the long line of motorcyclists who encroached into the lane for cars, while others blamed drivers that jumped queue.

But it was painfully clear to me that the reason for the huge traffic congestion was caused by the slow immigration clearance process, which included finger scanning each passenger in a car.

The security procedure was implemented in response to the escape of Jemaah Islamiah terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in February.

But after four months, this procedure has not paid off. Instead, it has increased waiting time for everyone at the immigration checkpoint.

Surely, it is time for the authorities to review procedures and their effectiveness, and the impact on citizens.

My suggestions are as follows:

- First, end the finger scanning procedure immediately;

- Second, increase the number of processing counters during peak times;

- Finally, segregate clearly the paths for motor vehicles and motorcycles to prevent one from encroaching into the lane of the other.

The Singapore authorities should note that it was a breeze clearing immigration and Customs at the Malaysian end of the Causeway, through which the same number of vehicles were processed.

Bernard Lo

This letter was first published in The Straits Times on July 12, 2008.