JOHOR BARU, March 5 — Several initiatives will be implemented or enhanced to improve cross-border movement at the Malaysia-Singapore crossings in Johor, said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He said the initiatives were agreed upon during a special committee meeting to address congestion at the Johor Causeway, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
During the meeting, Onn Hafiz said several important matters were discussed, including the implementation of a QR code system for car lanes at both the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), as well as enforcement measures against factory buses.
“In addition, Immigration Department staff shifts will be reorganised to increase the efficiency of the passport counters and the opening of a pedestrian walkway from Jalan Lingkaran Dalam to the BSI entrance’s bus lane in an effort to facilitate user movement.
“This initiative also includes the replacement of aging infrastructure such as elevators, escalators and travellators to improve the condition of facilities at BSI’s Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Onn Hafiz said the issue of cross-border movement has become an increasingly important matter ever siJohonce the announcement of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
He said the initiatives and upgrading projects were important to ensure that the country is prepared to accommodate the growing number of travellers, currently estimated at 500,000 crossing the border daily.
“To date, RM58.07 million has been allocated for 16 physical development projects at the BSI CIQ and KSAB.
“The projects are aimed to facilitate cross-border movement in the busiest land border crossings in Malaysia,” he said.
Also present at the meeting were Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, and Johor Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.
