Malaysia seriously looking at reopening pedestrian ‘shortcut’ to Johor checkpoint: Minister
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Many say that reopening the “shortcut” will also disperse traffic from the city centre, especially during peak hours and weekends.
PHOTO: TNP FILE
JOHOR BAHRU – Malaysia’s Home Ministry is seriously looking into the possibility of reopening a “shortcut” to Johor’s checkpoint to give pedestrians a shorter route for passport clearances before entering Singapore.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said on Tuesday a joint committee, chaired by him and Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, has been formed to look into matters related to overcoming the traffic congestion on the Causeway connecting Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (BSI CIQ) with Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint.
“Among matters that were discussed in the committee were initiatives to ease the congestion, which includes components such as lanes for lorries, buses, private vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians,” he said in a press conference after attending a Pakatan Harapan rally for the Pulai by-election in Taman Dahlia, Johor Bahru, on Tuesday night.
“The shortcut is one of the aspects that was given serious attention by the committee to come up with a solution.”
He did not provide a timeline.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin was asked to comment on a report by Malaysian daily The Star on Aug 17 saying that hundreds of pedestrians, including pregnant women and senior citizens, have asked for the “shortcut” to be reopened.
Those interviewed said the shorter route, near the former Lion Hotel (now known as Hako Hotel) in Jalan Lingkaran Dalam will save them time as they are now forced to walk 1.5km around the BSI CIQ.
Many say that reopening the “shortcut” will also disperse traffic from the city centre, which is heavily congested, especially during peak hours and weekends, due to ongoing construction works for the Rapid Transit System (RTS).
Checks by The Star showed that signs have been put up to deter pedestrians from accessing the route, while auxiliary and traffic policemen have also been posted there to turn away those who try to use the “shortcut” via the bus lanes into the immigration area.
The area has two functioning escalators and is only a few minutes’ walk to the immigration counters.
A CIQ official said that for many years, pedestrians had been allowed to use the walkway to enter the building. The Home Ministry closed it when borders reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic subsided. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
