Tanjong Pagar railway station

Infobox Station
name=Tanjong Pagar
type=KTM Intercity station

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image_size=300
image_caption=
address=Keppel Road, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore.
coordinates=coord|1|16|22|N|103|50|17|E|region:SG_type:railwaystation
line=North-South Line (KTM Intercity).
other=
platform=1 side platform and 1 island platform (segmented as two side platforms).
tracks=5
parking=Available
bicycle=
baggage_check=
passengers=
pass_year=
pass_percent=
pass_system=
opened=1932
rebuilt=
electrified=
ADA=
code=
owned=Keretapi Tanah Melayu
zone=
services=
mpassengers=

Tanjong Pagar railway station (Chinese: 丹戎巴葛火车总站; Malay: "Stesen Keretapi Tanjung Pagar"), also called Keppel Road railway station or Singapore railway station, is a railway terminus owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), the main railway operator in Malaysia. The land on which the station and the KTM railway tracks in Singapore are situated is held by KTM on a 999-year lease. [cite news | publisher = The Sun (Malaysia) | date = 28 March 1997 | title = Squatters on KTM land to be evicted | url =http://161.139.39.251/akhbar/squatters/1997/sn97328.htm]

History

Before the Johor-Singapore Causeway was built, the railway in Singapore was exclusively limited to the island. The construction of the Johor-Singapore Causeway across the Straits of Johor began in 1919, and it was opened to goods trains on September 17, 1923 and to passenger trains on October 1, 1923. Previously, passengers and goods train were transferred at Woodlands to a ferry to Johor Bahru and the connecting train on the peninsula. Tanjong Pagar railway station was completed in 1932.

Architecture and train services

The railway station contains a very fine Central Waiting Hall with a dome roof. The walls are paneled with typical Malaysian scenes, such as rice planting, rubber tapping, shipping activities, bullock cart transport, copra growing and tin mining. These panels and the original floor blocks were specially manufactured locally, using rubber products designed successfully to deaden noise. The two long station platforms are capable of accommodating the longest mail trains and are covered by umbrella reinforced concrete roofs.

KTM runs three daily KTM Intercity trains from Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, and several other trains from other parts of Peninsular Malaysia. KTM also operates a shuttle service between Johor Bahru and Singapore for the benefit of those commuting to Singapore for work. The only stops in Singapore are at Woodlands (for immigration clearance by Singapore Immigration and disembarkation of passengers travelling from Malaysia) and Tanjong Pagar (embarkation and disembarkation).

Tanjong Pagar and Outram Park MRT Stations are approximately 1 km from the railway station.

Disputes

The status of the railway station, as well as other issues such as the water supply to Singapore, is disputed between the governments of Malaysia and Singapore.

When Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, there was no border control between the two countries. [cite web |url= http://app.ica.gov.sg/about_ica/heritage/history_sir/immigration.asp|title=History of Singapore Immigration |accessdate=2006-09-11 |format= |work=Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore] When the two countries established border controls, both the Malaysian and Singaporean Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) officers were stationed at Tanjong Pagar for immigration clearance of railway passengers. Road travellers clear immigration at the Malaysian side of the causeway and Woodlands, Singapore upon entry to Singapore. In this case, the CIQ of both countries are separated.

Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990

In 1990, Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement concerning Tanjong Pagar railway station. Malaysia agreed to relocate the station to Bukit Timah, thus freeing up land for development. In return, Singapore agreed that railway land at Tanjong Pagar would be handed over to a private limited company for joint development, with equity split 60% to Malaysia and 40% to Singapore. However, the parties interpreted the agreement in much different ways. Singapore insisted that the agreement took immediate effect but Malaysia argued that the agreement would come into effect only after it decides to move the station.

Immigration control issues

Since 1992, KTM has worked with Singapore on re-aligning its railway tracks at Woodlands when Singapore built a new immigration checkpoint there to replace the old checkpoint, and with new facilities to carry out train passengers' immigration clearance at the point of entry into Singapore rather than at Tanjong Pagar. In 1993, Malaysia responded that it would transfer its CIQ operations to the new Woodlands checkpoint. [cite news | publisher = The Star (Malaysia) | date = 31 July 1998 | title = Statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia | url =http://161.139.39.251/akhbar/emigration/1998/st988013.htm]

However, in June 1997, Malaysia stated that the Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990 would come into effect only after it decided to relocate Tanjong Pagar station. Malaysia also informed Singapore that it had changed its mind and decided not to co-locate its CIQ with Singapore's at Woodlands Train Checkpoint (WTCP) but to remain at Tanjong Pagar. In April 1998, Singapore informed Malaysia that it would be moving its CIQ operations to Woodlands while Malaysia would have to move its CIQ out of Singapore from 1 August 1998. Malaysia requested, instead, that space be made available at the WTCP, as an interim arrangement, for Malaysian Immigration officials to operate from there and thereby overcome the problem of sequence of exit and entry stampings by Singapore and Malaysia immigration authorities.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore dated 24 July 1998:
#Singapore will allow Malaysian customs officials to operate at Tanjong Pagar railway station. Singapore officials will be present at Tanjong Pagar railway station to lend their authority to Malaysian customs officials during the interim period.
#Singapore has agreed to Malaysia's request to allow Malaysian Immigration to put some desks for its immigration officers on the passenger platform at WTCP to clear passengers after Singapore has cleared them for exit from Singapore. Singapore Immigration must clear departing passengers for exit from Singapore before Malaysian Immigration clears them for entry into Malaysia. Otherwise, the sequence of immigration clearance will be illogical and it will cause problems in crime investigation and prosecution. These interim arrangements will overcome the problems which would be caused if Malaysian Immigration were to remain in Tanjong Pagar railway station. [cite web |url= http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/detailed.jsp?artid=493&type=4&root=0&parent=0&cat=0&mode=arc|title=Relocation Of Singapore CIQ To Woodlands And Arrangements For Malaysian CIQ For Train Service, 24 July 98 |accessdate=2006-09-11 |format= |work=Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore]

However, Malaysia refused to have its immigration clearance on the passenger platform: they insisted that Malaysian Immigration should be inside the building at WTCP. If this was not possible, they said that Malaysian Immigration would remain at Tanjong Pagar. Singapore argued that Malaysia's decision to locate its Immigration Control Post in Singapore is not in compliance with Malaysia's own law. Under Malaysian law, it is Johor Bahru railway station, not Tanjong Pagar, that is gazetted as an Immigration Control Post for persons travelling by train from Singapore to Malaysia. Singapore also pointed out that this was confirmed by the endorsement on the passports of passengers boarding the train at Tanjong Pagar, which showed:

"MALAYSIA IMMIGRATION
JOHOR BAHRU
SOCIAL/BUSINESS VISIT PASS
Reg. 11. Imm. Regs 63
[Date] "
Permitted to enter and remain in West Malaysia and Sabah for one month from the date shown above" [cite web |url= http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/detailed.jsp?artid=488&type=4&root=0&parent=0&cat=0&mode=arc|title=Ministry Of Home Affairs Press Statement, 31 Jul 98 |accessdate=2006-09-11 |format= |work=Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore]

On 1 August 1998, Singaporean Immigration ceased operations in Tanjong Pagar and moved to WTCP while Malaysian Immigration continued operating in Tanjong Pagar. Malaysia decided not to endorse the passports of outgoing rail passengers from Singapore and promised to provide legal arguments to show that Malaysia's CIQ has the legal right to stay at Tanjong Pagar. [cite web |url= http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/detailed.jsp?artid=480&type=4&root=0&parent=0&cat=0&mode=arc|title=Comments By MHA Spokesman, 4 Aug 98 |accessdate=2006-09-11 |format= |work=Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore]

As the two countries are still trying to sort out their differences, the current immigration clearance procedure is:
*Towards Singapore, Malaysian immigration officers carry out immigration clearance on board the train at Johor Bahru railway station. After clearing immigration, the train crosses the causeway and stops at WTCP, where all passengers must proceed to Singapore Customs and Immigration. Therefore, travellers entering Singapore by rail are following the correct order of immigration clearance, that is, exit granted by Malaysian Immigration in Johor and entry granted by Singapore Immigration in Woodlands. After clearing immigration at Woodlands, passengers may disembark or continue their journey to Tanjong Pagar by train.
*Towards Malaysia, passengers must board the train at Tanjong Pagar and clear Malaysian Customs and Immigration before boarding. The train travels about 30 minutes to WTCP and stops for another 30 minutes to allow sufficient time for passengers to clear Singapore Immigration. In this case, passengers are granted entry into Malaysia before clearing Singapore Immigration, which is contrary to international practice. To circumvent this problem, Malaysian immigration officers do not stamp on passengers' passports.

In early 2007, news of a Singaporean woman being jailed for failing to have her passport stamped when entering Malaysia threw the spotlight on the unusual clearance procedures when travelling by train. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded Singaporeans that their passports will not be stamped when departing for Malaysia by train, but will instead obtain a stamp on the disembarkation card, which must be retained until departure from Malaysia. The entry records are also entered into a computer system. [cite news | publisher = The Straits Times | date = 7 February 2007 | title = What to look out for | url = http://motoring.asiaone.com.sg/drivers/20070214_004.html] Even then, this arrangement continued to present problems for some commuters. [cite news | publisher = Today | date = January 17 2007 | title = Trouble over unstamped passport in Malaysia | url = http://www.todayonline.com/articles/166251.asp] [cite news | publisher = Today | date = January 19 2007 | title = While 'in Malaysia', we ran around S'pore to solve problem of unstamped passport | url = http://www.todayonline.com/articles/166730.asp]

See also

* Keretapi Tanah Melayu
* Eastern & Orient Express
* Johor-Singapore Causeway
* Malaysia-Singapore Border
* Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990

References

External links

* [http://www.keretapi.com/tanjung-pagar-railway-station.html Singapore Railway Station at www.keretapi.com]