Border reopening: 400,000 expected to pass through land border with Singapore, says Johor MB

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (right) and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (left) at the press conference after the dry run reopening ceremony of the CIQ Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Iskandar Puteri. - THOMAS YONG/The Star

JOHOR BARU: At least 400,000 people are expected to commute via the two land borders with Singapore within the first week of the border reopening beginning on Friday (April 1).

Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has assured that all lanes at the two check points would be fully operational.

The two land borders were the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor Baru and Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ complex in the Second Link.

The land borders had been partially closed due to the Covid 19 pandemic since March 18 2020.

Only commercial vehicles and those under special travel arrangements had been allowed to commute daily.

"Prior to the pandemic, about 400,000 were commuting daily via these two links. So between April 1 to April 7 we expect the same number of people to travel using these links," he said after touring the Tanjung Kupang CIQ to find out about final preparations for the reopening of the border.

He added that agencies such as the Johor Information Department were also preparing infographics on the new SOPs to ease travel among the people.

"It is important for all travellers to download their MySejahtera application on their mobile phones before entering Malaysia," he added.

Also present during the hour-long tour was Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.