KUALA LUMPUR – Several new initiatives to resolve the congestion issue at the Johor Causeway will be brought to the cabinet for endorsement, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the special committee tackling the Johor Causeway congestion had studied and agreed to the implementation of these new initiatives, which would involve a total cost of RM64.2 million.
Among the new initiatives discussed are consolidation of the bus passenger hall at Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Gelang Patah costing about RM25 million; upgrading of the new lorry inspection counter at the lorry entry zone and Maqis inspection bay at an estimated cost of RM30.6 million; and building of new public toilets costing about RM8.6 million.
“Based on the projection of a surge in travellers by up to 17.2% 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 the Parliament building today.
Fadillah said the meeting also agreed to the proposed creation of the Single Entry Point at the Malaysia-Singapore border, and this proposal would be further fine-tuned by the Home Ministry and other related ministries and agencies before it was brought to the cabinet.
“If agreed, a technical committee will then be formed to discuss the feasibility of its implementation with Singapore, because it involves legal amendments and requires the agreement and cooperation of Singapore,” he said.
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 government expects SBA to be implemented in stages beginning January 2024,” he said.
He said SBA would provide for more coordinated management, more efficient enforcement and control as well as enhanced integrity in management at entry points.
On the implementation of 23 existing initiatives at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Immigration, Customs and Quarantine Complex and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar, he said it had achieved 62% completion. – Bernama, March 6, 2023
