ISKANDAR PUTERI - Malaysia's tourism agency has called on the country's Immigration Department to address the congestion at the Johor Causeway and the Second Link Crossing, The Star reported.

Tourism Malaysia's director-general Mirza Mohammad said this would help to ease traffic movements on both land links especially on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

He said apart from Singaporeans who regularly cross over to Johor Baru, there are also foreign tourists entering Malaysia via the Causeway near Johor Baru and the Second Link in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah.

"Singapore is an important market for us and we want to make travel easy for them," Datuk Seri Mirza said at a press conference on Thursday (Jan 18) at the ground-breaking ceremony of Sea Life at Legoland Malaysia.

He added that Tourism Malaysia also welcomed plans by the government to reduce toll charges at the Second Link Crossing. "Any move to ease congestion at both links is good as it will boost the tourism sector, not only in Johor but the whole of Malaysia," he said.

The tourism promotion board's comments come days after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met for the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore, where the issue of congestion at the Causeway was discussed.

Datuk Seri Najib said at the meeting on Tuesday the toll for the Second Link in Tuas may be reviewed to make it more attractive for use in order to ease congestion along the Causeway during peak periods.

He had noted that the wait on both sides could stretch to three to four hours at times and the issue of tolls was something Malaysia would consider, and decide on "as soon as possible".