JOHOR BARU: The government aims to reduce peak-hour congestion at the Johor Causeway by up to 70% in preparation for Visit Malaysia 2026, ensuring a smoother experience for international visitors.
Home Ministry deputy secretary-general (policy and control) Datuk Makhzan Mahyuddin said 50 initiatives have been planned across four phases since 2019, with 58% of them completed.
“Previously, the peak-hour congestion was between 3.45am and 4.30am, but it has now shifted to 6.30am.
“In the past, individuals had to spend up to three hours going through procedures at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ). Today, that time has been reduced to less than an hour.
“We are confident that as more short, medium and long-term initiatives are completed, the processing time will be further reduced,” Makhzan told a press conference following a media tour on initiatives to ease congestion at the Johor Causeway, held at CIQ Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) yesterday, Bernama reported.
One of the key measures introduced by the ministry to alleviate peak-hour congestion is the addition of counters equipped with a quick response (QR) code system for all modes of transport, including motorcycles, buses, and cars.
“Currently, eight counters for motorcycle entry and eight for motorcycle exit have been equipped with QR code systems, along with two counters for bus transport.
“Our goal is to expand this system to all counters,” Makhzan added.
He said the initiative will be further refined during the special committee meeting to address congestion at the Johor Causeway.
The meeting, which will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, will be held on March 3.
Spanning 232,237sq m, BSI is the largest CIQ complex in Malaysia.
On Dec 20 last year, it recorded its highest daily visitor movement, with 375,828 people passing through.
