PUBLISHED ONJanuary 02, 2025 8:23 AMByYeo Shu HuiSome Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) officers were in for a treat yesterday (Jan 1) when they received a cake from their Malaysian counterpart at the ICA Woodlands checkpoint.
In a Facebook post on the same day, the Malaysian immigration authorities wrote: "In conjunction with this new year's celebration, the Sultan Iskandar Building Immigration Office is pleased to hand over [our] gift in the form of a cake to our colleagues at ICA Woodlands."
"We thank you and may this practice continue every year as a symbol of the goodwill relationship between the authorities of the two countries. Happy New Year 2025."
Photos uploaded together with the post show Sultan Iskandar Building's Deputy Chief of Immigration Vimala Ramalinggam smiling as she handed the confectionery to Senior Assistant Commander Superintendent Lee Lai Yen.
The rainbow cake received by ICA was adorned with red and white cream roses with well-wishes "Happy New Year 2025. Peace, prosperity, safety!" written on it.
A firm handshake with two hands representing Singapore and Malaysia respectively is also printed on the icing sheet.
Netizens expressed their support towards the friendly gesture, including one who wrote on Facebook: "May the friendship between Singapore and Malaysia last for a long time."
ICA had previously said that presenting cakes to each other at the borders during their respective national celebrations is an "annual tradition".
In August 2023, the Malaysian authorities gifted a cake to ICA to celebrate Singapore's 58th National Day, which ICA did the same during Malaysia's 66th Merdeka Day at the end of that same month.
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