Loke: Transport Ministry to continue monitoring lorry congestion situation
JOHOR BARU: Concerns over heavy lorry congestion at the Second Link due to insufficient scanners will be raised with the Home Ministry, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said matters involving the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (KSAB) and scanner operations fall under the purview of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), which is under the Home Ministry.
“It is not under the Transport Ministry’s jurisdiction, but we are paying close attention to this matter and will provide our feedback to the Home Ministry,” he said after launching the MyLesen B2 Sekolah (MyB2S) programme.
The minister was asked whether the Transport Ministry was planning to introduce measures to address the issue.
Loke said the ministry would continue monitoring the situation.
“We take any issues involving congestion at the Second Link and Johor Causeway seriously and had previously set up a special committee to address such matters,” he said.
The Star had previously highlighted the plight of truckers, who have been putting up with increasingly long queues at the Second Link checkpoint since early February.
This came following the implementation of mandatory scanning for all heavy vehicles, with KSAB having only one scanner for lorries heading to Singapore.
On the B2S programme, Loke said some 60,000 students nationwide would receive free motorcycle licences this year under the initiative, with an allocation of RM18.5mil.
“This programme was implemented following the government’s concern over the issue of student motorcyclists who still do not possess valid driving licences, especially in rural areas,” he said.
Also present at the event was Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Earlier, Loke met with lorry and logistics industry players, where he said operators who have obtained the ISO 39001 Road Traffic Safety Management certification may soon enjoy special perks.
This includes a special lane at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) and an exemption from the Road Transport Department’s inspection and safety audit.
ISO 39001 is an international standard for road traffic safety management systems that provides a framework for organisations to reduce and prevent road fatalities and injuries.
