JOHOR BARU: Several major roads in the city centre will be closed in stages from Saturday (March 7) to early Tuesday in conjunction with the annual Chingay parade.
Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said the closures would involve a number of main routes around the city to facilitate the various events scheduled throughout the four-day celebration.
He said the first closure would take place on Saturday from 11am to 1pm for the “Street Purification” ceremony, which will start and end at the Johor Ancient Temple along Jalan Trus.
“The procession will pass through several roads, including Jalan Trus, Jalan Ngee Heng, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek, Jalan Yahya Awal, Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Dato’ Onn, Jalan Susur Ibrahim and Jalan Wong Ah Fook before returning to the temple,” he said in a press conference held here on Thursday.
ACP Raub said another road closure will take place on Sunday from 11am to 1pm for the “Deities Procession” event, which will begin at the Johor Ancient Temple and end at the Xing Gong Temple Johor Baru on Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek.
He said the route will pass through Jalan Trus, Jalan Ngee Heng and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak before arriving at the temple.
The main Chingay parade will take place next Monday, with road closures beginning at 7pm and expected to continue until 3am the following day.
ACP Raub said several major junctions and routes will be affected during the procession, including areas around Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek, Jalan Yahya Awal, Jalan Gertak Merah, Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Dato’ Onn, Jalan Ibrahim, Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.
“The procession will begin and end near the Tiong Hua Federation Johor Baru mortuary along Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek,” he added.
On Tuesday, roads will again be closed from 11am to 1pm for the “Return of the Deities” ceremony, where the procession will travel from Xing Gong Temple back to the Johor Ancient Temple.
ACP Raub advised motorists to plan their journeys and use alternative routes to avoid congestion, especially those travelling from Singapore, Skudai and Kota Tinggi.
Among the suggested routes are Jalan Skudai, Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, Jalan Pantai Lido and the Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway (EDL).
He also reminded the public not to bring dangerous items or prohibited materials during the parade and to follow instructions issued by police officers on duty.
“The police will not hesitate to take action against anyone who violates the law or causes public disorder,” he said.
ACP Raub added that the public is prohibited from setting off firecrackers, launching drones without permission, or conducting roadside trading along the procession routes.
Parents were also advised to closely supervise their children when attending the parade, while motorists were reminded to park at designated areas and avoid leaving valuables inside their vehicles.
“The public is urged to be patient during the procession, which may take several hours, and to cooperate with the authorities to ensure public safety and order,” he said.
