New initiatives to address Johor Causeway congestion to be brought to Cabinet: DPM

KUALA LUMPUR: Several new initiatives to solve the congestion problem at the Johor Causeway will be submitted to the cabinet for approval, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (Picture).

He said the Special Committee to Combat the Johor Causeway Congestion had studied and approved the implementation of these new initiatives, which would entail a total cost of RM64.2 million.

New initiatives under discussion include the consolidation of the bus passenger concourse at Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Gelang Patah, costing approximately RM25 million; Upgrade of new truck inspection counter in truck entry zone and MAQIS inspection bay at estimated cost of RM30.6 million; and construction of new public toilets costing about RM8.6 million.

“Based on the forecast of an increase in travelers of up to 17.2 percent per year, a review of posts should be undertaken to find a balance between the workload of officials and this upward trend,” he told reporters at a meeting after the presidency of the committee today in the Parliament building.

Fadillah said the meeting also approved the proposed establishment of the single entry point on the Malaysia-Singapore border, and that proposal will be further refined by the Home Office and other related ministries and agencies before it is submitted to the cabinet.

“If agreed, a technical committee will then be formed to discuss the feasibility of its implementation with Singapore, as this involves legal changes and requires Singapore’s approval and cooperation,” he said.

Fadillah said the meeting also updated on the status of the proposed establishment 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 phased in from January 2024,” he said.

He said SBA would provide better coordinated management, more efficient enforcement and control, and improved governance integrity at points of entry.

On the implementation of 23 existing initiatives in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar’s Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) Complex, he said they were 62 percent complete. – Bernama