KOTA TINGGI, MALAYSIA: All foreigners will have to fill in immigration embarkation cards when they enter Malaysia from Aug 15 onwards.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the move, applicable for all entry points nationwide, is to enhance security in the country.

"The police felt that there was a gap in their information and record keeping and that it was good to have the form," he told reporters at a press conference at Felda Air Tawar 3 here on Sunday.

Since Jan 20, all foreigners have been exempted from the need to fill up these cards.

Syed Hamid said the exemption was merely a test period to see whether the country could do without it.

"People come in and while we punch the data in, quite a number of people just walk through without any record of them coming into or leaving the country,? he said.

He added that a meeting was held at the ministerial level two months ago where it was decided that the requirement to fill in cards should be reintroduced.

Johor Immigration Department deputy-director Johari Yusof said Singaporeans would also be required to fill in embarkation cards when they entered the country via the Causeway and the Second Link.

"They will now be required to fill in the form as part of the procedure to enter the country. It is not meant for their inconvenience but only as an entry requirement," he said when contacted.

He said at present, visitors to the country merely had to hand over their passports for verification and scanning.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Tourist Guide Council president Jimmy Leong said the new ruling showed the inconsistency of policies.

"The Government should carry out research before implementing anything," he said.

Leong said the new ruling would definitely slow down the traffic at the Causeway as well as the Second Link.