Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (left) observing the traffic situation at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine with the Immigration Department at 5.30am on April 28, 2023.
JOHOR BARU: All counters will be fully operational and there will be no rotation of staff members during peak hours. These are some of the measures taken to resolve traffic congestion at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi gave the assurance that the traffic situation at the complex would get better after he visited BSI to check on the situation yesterday.
Onn Hafiz also met with Immigration deputy director-general (Control) Datuk Ken Leben during the visit and discussed the near-term solutions.
“The merging of car lanes for zones A, B, C and D at BSI should be completed by July at the latest.
“Immigration should also sort out issues such as staff shortage and administrative matters related to overtime claims as soon as possible,” Onn Hafiz said.
“Things will improve. You have my word,” he said in response to complaints that the congestion had been going on for years.
He said he was confident that operations at the checkpoints would become more efficient to ease congestion and commuters’ daily journey to and from Singapore.
“I also heard the problems faced by the Immigration Department at the state and national levels. I believe our strategic partnership can solve the traffic congestion at the border between Johor and Singapore,” he said.
Onn Hafiz had visited BSI on April 19, and expressed his dissatisfaction that the level of efficiency there was not optimal.
He had said then that with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities drawing near, the Causeway – reputed to be the world’s busiest land border crossing – would be even busier with more people and vehicles travelling between Malaysia and Singapore.
During his working visit, he found some counters closed due to staffing issues.
He added that he gave instructions for all counters at BSI –whether for cars, motorcycles, bus passengers, or even pedestrians – to be open and functioning.
Onn Hafiz, who is also Machap assemblyman, added that Immigration and the Public Works Department (JKR) should continue monitoring the concessionaire in charge of maintaining public amenities and assets at BSI and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ in Tanjung Kupang near the Second Link.
On Thursday, he called for immediate action to address complaints on social media of foul-smelling water at the exit lane of the BSI CIQ that had persisted for weeks.
“The state government listens to and understands the plight of all users and will continue taking action for the comfort and safety of the people,” he said, adding that the dripping water came from a clogged sink and was not sewage.
