Johor MB says will continue spot-checks at Malaysia-Singapore checkpoints to clear immigration clog
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 13 — Known for his “surprise visits” at Malaysia’s two land crossings into Singapore to check on government officials at work, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi today said he will not stop them even if he is unpopular.
He said he will continue his spot checks as long as the congestion issues at the Sultan Iskandar Building’s (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Baru and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) here is not fully resolved.
“I have come to realise that there are some people who are not pleased with my presence at the two land border entrances. These people seem to dislike my surprise visits there.
“Despite that, believe me I will not stop as long as the legacy issues that continue to burden the people are not resolved,” he said during Question Time at the Johor legislative assembly here.
He was replying to backbencher Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Perling) who earlier asked about the state’s jurisdiction to facilitate movement at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossings.
Onn Hafiz who is also Machap assemblyman, said he is confident that the new state head of Immigration will be able to resolve the issue involving more than 250,000 Malaysians who cross into Singapore and return to Johor daily.
He added that the movement between the Malaysia-Singapore land border crossings in Johor is not under the jurisdiction of the state government.
“It is under the purview of the federal government. However, Johor is also a permanent member of the Special Committee to Address Congestion at the Johor Causeway which is chaired by the deputy prime minister,” he said.
On the status of the QR Code (quick response code) at the CIQs for Malaysians entering Singapore, Onn Hafiz said that the system is still in the development stage.
“God willing, it will be implemented soon and the Home Ministry will inform the public,” he replied to another backbencher Liow Cai Tung (DAP-Johor Jaya).
The Johor Causeway connects the BSI CIQ in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore while the KSAB connects to the Second Link Crossing, which is located near Gelang Patah in Iskandar Puteri, connects Johor to Tuas in Singapore.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, it was estimated that more than 250,000 Malaysians enter and exit Singapore from Johor via both the Johor Causeway in Johor Baru and the Second Link Crossing daily.
At present, the figure has been revised to more than 350,000 Malaysians entering and exiting Singapore daily.
Both land border checkpoints have been described as one of the world’s busiest international border crossings.
