SINGAPORE, Dec 1 — A Singaporean couple who had just crossed back from Johor Bahru after attending a friend’s wedding managed to retrieve a handbag stuffed with documents, bank cards and S$4,700 (RM14,990) in cash — thanks to the quick action of Malaysian immigration officers.

According to AsiaOne, the pair were stopped for a routine car inspection at the checkpoint, unaware that the bag had slipped out of their vehicle during the check. 

Exhausted from the trip, they continued their late-night drive home and only realised the bag was missing when they reached Singapore.

Tan Zheng Guang, an interior designer, said he initially assumed the bag had been left behind at their hotel stay from November 3 to 5. 

But when that turned out to be a dead end, he cancelled his bank cards, choosing not to file a report yet as he “had a feeling someone would find my bag”, he told The Star.

That instinct proved right. 

Tan later received a call from the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru informing him that Malaysian immigration officers had recovered the missing bag. 

He admitted he first suspected it was a scam — until the caller sent him a photo of his identity card.

Malaysia’s Home Ministry said two immigration officers at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar customs, immigration and quarantine complex had discovered the bag on a car lane. 

They used CCTV footage to identify Tan and escalated the matter to their superiors, who then reached out to the consulate.

Tan collected the bag on November 21 and personally thanked the officers for their honesty.

“Everything was accounted for and I am grateful to them for their professionalism in trying to locate me through our consulate,” he said.

LTA said it will continue to monitor the rail network and carry out preventive maintenance where necessary, adding that any further works requiring service adjustments will be announced ahead of time.