The most meaningful item Aloysius Thum received for his work was not a trophy or an award – it was a watch.
This was from his team when he was posted out of his first role as a team leader at Woodlands Checkpoint, after months of working side by side through shifts and peak-hour surges.
“Every time I wear the watch, it reminds me of my officers – it has quite a bit of sentimental value for me,” says Aloysius, who is now a manager (border security) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Joint Ops Group Security Policy Directorate.
It is a fitting memento for someone whose work helps travellers clear immigration faster than before.
With the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) new QR-code clearance system, those minutes saved at the checkpoint make a difference to daily commutes and weekend trips.
In 2024, Aloysius was part of ICA’s Future Ops and Transformation division. The team was behind the roll-out of the QR-code clearance system at land checkpoints in Singapore.
At the start, much of his time was spent understanding new clearance technologies and figuring out how they would work in real time. Even as testing got under way, the outcome was far from certain.
“During the project development, we had doubts as to whether it would work or create meaningful impact,” says the 30-year-old.
But results came fast.
“Within weeks of implementation, we witnessed how a single innovation could change the daily routines of countless travellers – the scale of impact was incredible,” he recounts.
By March 2025, a year after the initial roll-out, both checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas were able to clear 2,000 more travellers per hour than the year before, shaving off 20 seconds to a minute per car clearance, depending on the number of passengers.
“It is incredibly fulfilling to work on initiatives that will change how things are done – not just today but for years to come.”
– Aloysius Thum, recipient of the MHA Uniformed Scholarship (ICA)
At Woodlands Checkpoint – one of the world’s busiest land border crossings – even small improvements have an outsized impact.
With peak volumes of up to 550,000 travellers a day, that translates to a lot of time saved.
“These are numbers on the screen but it is very different when you go down to the ground and talk to people who tell us how, as commuters, they can leave home later and spend more precious time with their families,” says Aloysius.
One friend even called to thank him for helping to shorten his travel time to Johor Bahru each time he drove over to Malaysia for a football match.
A recipient of the MHA Uniformed Scholarship, Aloysius joined ICA in 2021 after graduating with a bachelor of social sciences (honours) in public policy and global affairs from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
In his early days as a team leader at Woodlands Checkpoint, self-doubt crept in as he learnt to find his footing on the ground.
“Initially, I wasn’t confident I could overcome the preconceptions that come with the ‘scholar’ label or build genuine relationships with my colleagues,” he says.
Through his shifts at the border – resolving issues, guiding colleagues and learning on the job – his self-doubt gradually gave way to confidence.
The watch from his team became a symbol of that journey. Aloysius still wears it today as a reminder of how he overcame his initial lack of confidence to become a respected team leader.
In his current position at the MHA Joint Ops Group Security Policy Directorate, Aloysius continues to play a key role in driving changes in border operations.
Where he once dealt with issues as they arose on the ground, he now contributes to broader security policy development, using his front-line experience to bridge operational realities with strategic development.
During his time in ICA’s Future Ops and Transformation division where he worked on the QR-code clearance system, his portfolio included the Automated Passenger Clearance Systems (APCS), which is set for progressive roll-out from Tuas Checkpoint at the end of 2026.
He also ensured that upgrades and new solutions are seamlessly integrated into the redevelopment of Woodlands Checkpoint.
To help Singapore stay ahead in border operations, Aloysius studied different clearance and screening systems. In 2025, he visited overseas facilities where he learnt from best practices in biometrics at a conference in Helsinki and studied scanning technologies at a Texas customs facility.
With his operational background and project experience as his foundation, Aloysius now approaches each initiative with confidence, contributing to frameworks that strengthen border security and improve border operations.
“It is incredibly fulfilling to work on initiatives that will change how things are done – not just today but for years to come,” he says.
| About the MHA Uniformed Scholarship Depending on your interests and aspirations, this scholarship will allow you to kick-start your leadership journey as a uniformed officer in one of five Home Team departments: Singapore Police Force (SPF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). |
This article is brought to you by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.
