PUBLISHED ONNovember 05, 2026 11:40 AMBYLim KeweiThe Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has refuted foreign media reports of a power outage at Woodlands Checkpoint on Wednesday (Nov 4) as untrue.
The agency attributed the traffic congestion on the Causeway that day to planned electrical maintenance works at the Old Woodlands Checkpoint and subsequent vehicle breakdowns.
Malaysian media outlet The Star reported that a "massive power outage" hit Woodlands Checkpoint, causing a heavy traffic jam on Malaysia's roads.
On Thursday, an ICA spokesperson told AsiaOne that lorries entering Singapore temporarily could not undergo clearance the Old Woodlands Checkpoint from 10am to 2pm because of the planned works.
Lorry clearance continued at Woodlands Checkpoint, and some Singapore-bound cargo traffic built up on the Causeway.
Operations at the Old Woodlands Checkpoint resumed at around 4pm.
At about 4.30pm and 6.30pm respectively, two lorries broke down on the Malaysian-side of the Causeway towards Singapore, blocking one of the three arrival lanes. This contributed to traffic queues extending from the breakdown sites into Malaysia.
At the same time, the evening peak period meant a higher volume of vehicles travelling between borders.
Data from the Checkpoint.sg app showed a sharp rise in Malaysia-Singapore traffic from about 4.30pm onwards.
ICA said it observed that the first lorry was removed only at 9.50pm that evening, while the second was removed at around 12.22am the next day.
"During this period, traffic towards Woodlands Checkpoint was disrupted," the spokesperson said.
"ICA posted advisories on its Facebook page to alert travellers to the vehicle breakdowns and expected delays, and notify them when the affected lane reopened."
