Larkin Sentral traders hope more visitors from S’pore will be allowed into country

Commuters queuing at express bus ticket counters in Larkin Sentral.

TRADERS at Larkin Sentral integrated transport terminal are looking forward to the reopening of the Causeway and the Second Link Crossing.

Bangta Trading co-proprietor Irene Wong said the move, if implemented, would be a boost for business in Johor Baru, including those at the transport terminal.

“The past two years have been challenging, especially when the border between Malaysia and Singapore was closed,” she said when met at the terminal.

The borders closed on March 18, 2020, under the first movement control order due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wong said the land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL-Land) for long-term pass holders did not have much impact.

“We need casual visitors from Singapore who will spend at the shops in the terminal and retail outlets in the Larkin area,” she said.

She welcomed the National Recovery Council’s (NRC) recommendation that the government fully reopen the country’s international borders as early as March 1, without the mandatory quarantine.

Its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said reopening the borders was vital to support the country’s economic recovery, especially the tourism sector, as well as in attracting foreign investments.

“The situation at the terminal has improved slightly with VTL-Land and we are optimistic that it will get better when international borders reopen,” said Wong, who runs a shop selling costume jewellery and fashion accessories with her husband.

She said business was down by 80% since March 2020 as 70% of their customers before Covid-19 were Singaporeans.

Hajah Jainah Enterprise sole proprietor Siti Noridah Bahrom said that prior to Covid-19, the place was busy with Singaporeans, especially on weekends as many of them took buses and taxis from the republic to the terminal.

“Malaysians who finish their night shift in Singapore also used to stop here for breakfast and buy from us,” she said.

She hoped the situation would improve in the coming months if the government goes ahead with the NRC’s recommendation.

Siti Noridah said that apart from Singaporeans, the place used to be abuzz with locals taking buses and taxis to the republic daily.

“Malaysian workers commuting daily to Singapore were the ones who really spent money at the terminal,” she added.

Scope Chic sales assistant Nojie Ismail said foreign workers were now the main customers at his clothing shop.

“Before Covid-19, about 70% of our customers were Singaporeans and 30% were foreign workers.”

He said the figure had reversed now, with foreigners comprising mostly Indonesian, Nepalese and Vietnamese making up 70% of customers while 30% were locals.

“It will be good if the border with Singapore reopens next month to casual visitors,” he added.

The VTL-Land scheme started on Nov 29 but was temporarily suspended on Dec 23 due to the Omicron variant.

VTL-Land resumed on Jan 20 but the number of visitors dropped by half from 2,160 travellers last December to 1,080 on Jan 21.