Singapore may get passport-free visit to Malaysia

fairplay

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Nov 3, 2006, 3:06:02 PM11/3/06

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MSNBC.com
Singapore may get passport-free visit to Malaysia

By Mark Bendeich
Reuters

Updated: 2:17 a.m. CT Nov 3, 2006

JOHOR BARU, Malaysia - Malaysia plans to beef up tourism in its
southernmost state by allowing some passport-free travel from Singapore,
a recognition that it needs its estranged neighbour's help to transform
the area.

Malaysia and Singapore have a long history of difficult relations, but
Malaysia is counting on Singapore investors to help fund a
multi-billion-dollar plan to turn the southern tip of Johor state into
another Asian boom town.

An official overseeing the development plans confirmed a newspaper
report on Friday that visitors from Singapore entering certain areas in
Johor would be exempt from immigration and customs clearance in a bid to
draw more tourists.

Iskandar Ismail of state investment arm Khazanah Nasional declined to
give any details.

"It's a real no-brainer because if you look at the history of this
country, Malaysia, especially the southern tip, has enjoyed a very
strategic location," Iskandar told reporters.

"We are a friendly country and we are in between China and India," he
said at a briefing.

There would be no limit on how long visitors could stay in the free
access zones to be created from the present checkpoint at the causeway
to Stulang Laut in Johor Baru and from Gelang Patah to the Port of
Tanjung Pelepas, the New Straits Times said.

The zones will be part of the multi-billion-dollar "South Johor Economic
Region" development plan, a brainchild of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi.

MALAYSIA'S "SHENZHEN"

Abdullah is due to unveil on Saturday details of the development for
South Johor, one of the four new growth areas Malaysia hopes will meet a
challenge from lower-cost economic rivals such as China.

The government has set aside 4.3 billion ringgit ($1.18 billion) under
its five-year development plan up to 2010 to develop infrastructure and
beef up security in the area.

Of the total 4.3 billion ringgit, 330 million will be to provide
security in the area such as CCTV cameras and extra police and
communication equipments.

Johor Baru has long suffered from a reputation among Singaporeans for
street crime, a perception the government acknowledges for its plan for
the region.

"I think a lot of Singaporeans feel that there is a lot of crime here,"
Mokhtar Singh, who runs an upmarket, gated property -- the Leisure Farm
Resort near Johor Baru -- told reporters after a tour of the property.

Most of the residents at the high-security resort are Singaporeans and
many commute to the island to work.

The government plans to develop the economic region over 20 years. It
will cover 2,200 sq km or about 2-½ times the size of Singapore.

The population in the region is expected to roughly double by 2025 from
1.4 million currently to about 3 million.

The centrepiece of the development will be a new township called Bandar
Nusajaya.

Malaysia wants to raise about $4 billion in private funds to go with
state money in a bid to turn South Johor into another Shenzhen, the
booming southern Chinese city adjoining Hong Kong.

As part of the plan, the country is trying to lure back foreign
investment that has leaked from its manufacturing sector.

Johor is separated from Singapore by a tiny strip of water. Malaysia and
Singapore, which split in 1965 after a brief union in the years
following independence from Britain, have deep economic ties, but
diplomatic ties have sometimes been prickly. (Additional reporting by
Liau Y-Sing)

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15539038/
© 2006 MSNBC.com

House of Chin

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Nov 3, 2006, 6:08:57 PM11/3/06

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Such developments are long overdue !!
Get rid of that stupid & troublesome white card !
Nowadays SMART card is the way to go !

elitist

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Nov 3, 2006, 7:53:41 PM11/3/06

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They should also allow our military and police forces to go over to JB
freely. Also, allow our flighter jets to fly over their air space.

"fairplay" <fair...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:12kn89a...@corp.supernews.com...

Zanzibar

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Nov 3, 2006, 10:23:21 PM11/3/06

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The removal of white card is good. In fact one wonders if they make use of
the statistical formation in it or not - to impove their service or not..

"House of Chin" <prukuu...@yahoo.com.sg> wrote in message
news:eigi5m$ifi$1...@nobel.pacific.net.sg...

Wu Song

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Nov 4, 2006, 1:05:28 AM11/4/06

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One has to write " Singapore " 6-7 times which makes the card design
so stupid. Compare to the arrival card for Australia...

On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 19:23:21 -0800, "Zanzibar" <zanz...@travel.com.ni>
wrote:

Pelandok

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Nov 4, 2006, 9:24:33 AM11/4/06

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I'm waiting for a reputable developer there to develop studio
condominiums at RM 100K per unit. Then can retire.

Pelandok

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Nov 4, 2006, 9:34:57 AM11/4/06

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Layout can be like a Univeristy hostel with common prata shop,
provision shop, and library/reading room, tv room but own
bathroom/kitchen, and with streamyx connectivity, also a looped bus
service to Woodlands checkpoint (the bus need not enter Singapore, but
turns back after dropping passengers).

ardeedee

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Nov 5, 2006, 1:17:25 AM11/5/06

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Of course thee is no reason to have passport checks for Singaporeans -let
them transgress free into Malaysia and make checks only at the border areas
and at the airports and sea ports.
Once Malaysia stops these passport checks then Singapore will have to do
likewise as it is absurd to continue such checsk unilaterally.

"fairplay" <fair...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:12kn89a...@corp.supernews.com...
>

Lobert

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Nov 5, 2006, 4:06:36 AM11/5/06

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Singapore will continue to check but you can use
the self-service counters with your Singapore
passport and your thumbprint to clear immigration.

Observer

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Nov 5, 2006, 6:25:48 AM11/5/06

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"Wu Song" <wus...@wuxi.cn> wrote in message
news:9bbok2p1586q0gfmo...@4ax.com...

> One has to write " Singapore " 6-7 times which makes the card design
> so stupid.

WRONG!
Its only making morons like you work harder
to get to kiss the Malaysian Malays' arses...
LOL.

>Compare to the arrival card for Australia...

They know cheapskate like you can't
afford oz and thats why painstakingly
fill out the stupid forms designed to entrap
even more stupid people like you...
LOL.

Zanzibar

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Nov 5, 2006, 11:53:41 AM11/5/06

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Is Malaysia following EU in which no passporwas necessary to travel within
EU countries?

"ardeedee" <arde...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:454d821c$4...@news.starhub.net.sg...

ardeedee

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Nov 5, 2006, 9:55:26 PM11/5/06

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Why not as this can simply improve relations and save millions.

"Zanzibar" <zanz...@travel.com.ni> wrote in message
news:454e1718$1...@news.starhub.net.sg...

Lobert

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Nov 5, 2006, 10:13:45 PM11/5/06

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ha! ha! ha! "simply improve relation" you are
talking like an idiot.

ardeedee

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Nov 5, 2006, 10:31:22 PM11/5/06

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If Europe can do it why cannot we?

"Lobert" <lob...@imh.com> wrote in message
news:eim6h9$qjs$5...@mawar.singnet.com.sg...

Lobert

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Nov 6, 2006, 12:36:32 AM11/6/06

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You think we must follow the mat salleh ? Didn't
you hear the Johor Sultan said about mat salleh ?

ardeedee

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Nov 6, 2006, 10:49:32 AM11/6/06

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His father had a Hungarian wife and they have a princess sister.
Their forefather a Sultan who was well known as a supplier of live wild
animals to Hollywood etc and he used to play bola bola with actors and
actresses.

"Lobert" <lob...@imh.com> wrote in message

news:eimd70$fa4$3...@reader01.singnet.com.sg...