JOHOR BARU: A request for an additional 25 motorcycle lanes at the Causeway will be brought to the National Budget Office for approval, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
The Deputy Finance Minister revealed that the Johor government had requested funding to increase the motorcycle lanes from the current 50 to 75.
“Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the additional lanes will help to reduce congestion.
“I believe this is a reasonable request. I will bring this matter up to the National Budget Office for them to decide on the funding,” he said, adding that the project is estimated at RM2.57mil.
Ahmad Maslan, who is Pontian MP, was speaking to reporters after visiting the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Building here yesterday.
With him was state works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.
Apart from the expansion, Ahmad Maslan said several measures such as increasing the lanes for lorries have been taken to ease congestion at the causeway connecting Malaysia and Singapore.
“We will also be increasing the number of security scanners for pedestrians from only one currently to three,” he said, adding that RM1mil allocation had been put aside for the purchase and installation of the gadgets, and the process is expected to be completed by June.
Ahmad Maslan said efforts are also been made to increase the manpower of various agencies at the CIQ.
To further ease congestion, Mohamad Fazli had earlier revealed that the government has been studying the feasibility of the “single clearance system” between the two neighbouring nations.
The system will see Singaporean Immigration officers stationed at the checkpoints in Johor to clear people entering the Island Republic while Malaysian Immigration officers will head to Singapore to clear those entering Malaysia.
“This is still in the initial stage, we will need to look into this matter as it requires renovation works at the checkpoints,” he added.
