JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 10 — The officers who spend their days checking passports, managing traffic and keeping the Malaysia-Singapore border moving marked the occasion over the weekend with an exchange of National Day greetings across the Causeway.

Malaysia’s Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex wished its Singapore counterparts at the Woodlands checkpoint a happy 61st National Day, which fell on Sunday.

In a Facebook post, AKPS BSI said the occasion was not only a celebration of Singapore’s journey as a nation, but also of the close working relationship between officers on both sides of the border.

“As Singapore celebrates its 61st National Day, we celebrate not only the nation’s remarkable journey but also the enduring friendship, cooperation and strong partnership between our teams across the Causeway,” it said.

The agency also highlighted the daily cooperation needed to facilitate cross-border movement while maintaining security.

“Through our daily commitment at the Malaysia-Singapore land border, we stand together with a shared responsibility, facilitating smooth movements, strengthening border security and serving our communities with professionalism and dedication.

“May our partnership continue to grow stronger, built on trust, teamwork, mutual respect and a shared mission,” the post added.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) later returned the gesture, thanking AKPS personnel from both BSI and the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) for extending National Day greetings to officers at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

In its own Facebook post, ICA said the gestures reflected the close cooperation between the two countries’ checkpoint teams.

“These meaningful gestures are a reflection of the close cooperation between our checkpoints and our counterparts across the land borders.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership and working closely together to keep our borders safe and secure,” ICA said.

The BSI delegation was led by AKPS assistant commander Vimala Ramalinggam, while the KSAB contingent was headed by AKPS deputy commander Azura Mohamed Kifli.

Singapore celebrated its 61st National Day yesterday.