More than 4,000 cars from Singapore in first 16 hours after border reopened

JOHOR BARU: More than 4,000 Singapore registered cars have crossed the Causeway and Second Link in the first 16 hours since land checkpoints were reopened, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The Transport Minister said that from midnight until 4pm on Friday (April 1), a total of 2,835 Singapore-registered cars entered Malaysia through the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ).

“At the same time, some 1,600 Singapore-registered vehicles travelled into the country through the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB),” he added.

Dr Wee, who is also MCA president and Ayer Hitam MP, said this in a press conference after visiting BSI here on Friday.

He added that the number of Singapore-registered vehicles entering Johor via the two checkpoints is expected to increase over the weekend.

Dr Wee said traffic entering Malaysia was smooth following the government’s move to waive the RM20 road charge on Singapore-registered private vehicles until April 7.

He also said that some 6,432 travellers have entered the country on international flights at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) while another 10,881 travellers have left Malaysia.

“At KLIA2, the number of travellers arriving in the country stands at 1,296 individuals with 2,394 departures,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Wee said stage bus services between Malaysia and Singapore are expected to be fully operational to pre-pandemic levels by May 1.

He added that presently, only 24 buses used for Land Vaccinated Travel Lane (Land-VTL) and six shuttle buses are allowed to cross the Causeway to ferry travellers.

Dr Wee said that the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) was presently discussing the number of stage buses with Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA).

“The number of stage buses for travellers travelling between Malaysia and Singapore is expected to be finalised in two weeks.

“The number of stage buses agreed from Malaysia and Singapore will be the same figure for both sides,” he said, adding that the VTL scheme would continue presently as many people have bought the tickets for it.