Johor to solve causeway congestion by next year

The Johor government is taking decisive action to address various issues faced by the people, including potholed roads, internet access, and causeway congestion at land checkpoints. With a focus on the Johor Maju 2030 initiative, the government aims to provide solutions and enhance connectivity for its residents.

Recently, the Menteri Besar, Onn Hafiz Ghazi, gained attention for his efforts to tackle congestion at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex.

“We will try to overcome (these issues) by next year at the latest,” he said when speaking at the Johor-Korea 2023 Business Forum in Johor Bahru.

Causeway congestion: Efforts to reduce travel time

To improve the daily commute between Johor and Singapore, the state government has successfully reduced travel time by up to 30 minutes.

These initiatives aim to alleviate congestion which has been a persistent issue for decades.

“Currently, travellers need to stop twice to clear their passport and pay for their Touch ‘n Go, but after this, they only need to stop at one place,” he said, referring to the payment of toll charges.

Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz conducted surprise checks at immigration counters and implemented measures such as extending the use of automatic gates, increasing motorcycle lines, and merging border control agency counters.

Introducing a Single Clearance System

To address Causeway congestion, the Johor government has proposed a “single clearance system” to streamline immigration processes at the land checkpoint.

Under this system, immigration clearance will only be conducted once on either side of the border, with Singapore’s immigration officers stationed at Johor’s checkpoints and Malaysian immigration personnel deployed in Singapore.

This proposal, similar to the upcoming Rapid Transit System (RTS), will contribute to easing traffic congestion and improving efficiency.

According to Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, the chairperson of Johor’s works, transportation, and infrastructure committee, a significant change is expected at the checkpoints between Johor and Singapore.

Singapore’s immigration officers will be stationed in Johor to handle entry into the Republic, while Malaysian immigration personnel will be deployed in Singapore to process entry into Malaysia.

This arrangement aims to streamline and facilitate the immigration clearance process for travellers on both sides of the border.

“This proposal is still at the initial stages. This will be similar to the system that will be used when the Rapid Transit System (RTS) operations begin in 2026,” he told The Star.

New initiatives to ease Causeway congestion

To further alleviate congestion at the Johor Causeway, the government will present several new initiatives for endorsement, involving a total cost of RM64.2 million, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

These initiatives include the consolidation of the Bus Passenger Hall at Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar, upgrading the New Lorry Inspection Counter and MAQIS Inspection Bay, and the construction of new public toilets. The aim is to enhance facilities and accommodate the projected increase in travellers.

“Based on the projection of a surge in travellers by up to 17.2 per cent every year, a review of posts should be made to strike a balance between the workload of officers and this uptrend,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the committee at Parliament Building in March.

Fadillah said the meeting was also updated on the status of the proposed setting up of the Single Border Agency (SBA) as a long-term initiative to increase management efficiency at the country’s entry points.

The Johor government’s proactive approach to addressing congestion and enhancing connectivity at land checkpoints demonstrates its commitment to resolving long-standing issues.