A view of the congestion along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Baru towards the old immigration checkpoint before the Causeway in 2006. — Filepic
OVER the past century, the Causeway – one of the busiest border crossings in the world –has been more than just a physical link connecting Johor and Singapore.
Many Malaysians and Singaporeans have fond memories of the 1.056km-long connection.
From nostalgic walks to the challenges of the daily commute, from the separation of families during the Covid-19 pandemic to the midnight reunions following the reopening of the border, it all happened via the Causeway.
In conjunction with the centenary celebration of the Causeway on June 28, StarMetro spoke to five people to find out what the historic connection means to them.
A passenger train crossing the partially completed Causeway in 1923.
Strolls across the Causeway
For businessman Robin Jian, 62, the Causeway reminds him of simpler times and his childhood.
“I remember numerous occasions when my parents, siblings and I would walk across the Causeway to eat or shop in Singapore.
“The Causeway was very different then. It was narrower and there were no separate lanes for different vehicles.
“There was no congestion either, a far cry from what we experience today.
“What I saw on our walks was also much nicer, as the Johor Strait was a lot cleaner and the water was clear back then,” Jian said as he reminisced about the Causeway.
The third-generation owner of a cafe along Jalan Dhoby, Johor Baru, he said crossing the border in those days was akin to a walk from one kampung (village) to the next.
“It was very common for people to walk across the Causeway.
“I remember the early days when we did not even need our passports to cross over.”
Jian, whose cafe is popular with Singaporean visitors today, said he had also witnessed a gradual rise in the number of visitors from the island republic over the years.
Jian remembers when he and his family could stroll across the Causeway into Singapore.
“The cafe was a simple kopitiam back then and I remember walking barefoot as a child when I delivered coffee to the offices near our shop.
“Back then, Johor was not the popular destination for Singaporeans that it is today, because the value of our currencies was about the same.
“It was probably only around the late ’70s and early ’80s that we started receiving more visitors from the island republic as the Singapore dollar grew stronger against the ringgit.”
For Jian – who grew up on Jalan Dhoby, about 2km from where the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (BSI) complex is located today – the Causeway is special to him.
“Over the years, the Causeway has seen several expansions.
“The BSI is a pretty recent development. Previously, we only had simple immigration counters.
“There was also a tunnel that pedestrians used to walk across the border,” he said.
Schooling in Singapore
Lawyer Ng Miao Ling, 29, associates the Causeway with her secondary school days when she travelled to Singapore daily.
“I completed my primary school education in Johor.
“When I was 13, my parents decided to send me to study in Singapore, which is pretty common among Johoreans.”
Ng said a van would pick her up at about 6am every day and send her to her secondary school in Woodlands, Singapore.
Ng associates the Causeway with travelling to Singapore daily for school.
“Since my home was not far from the Causeway, I could sleep a little longer than other kids. Some needed to be ready as early as 4.30am.
“However, whenever there was traffic congestion, I had to be ready by 5am.
“The van driver would call my parents in advance to alert them on those days.
“I usually continued sleeping in the van on the way to school.”
Ng would typically reach home between 6pm and 9pm, depending on whether she had extra-curricular activities or extra classes.
“After school, I used to take the public bus back to Johor Baru.
“At times, the congestion was so bad that I opted to walk across the Causeway,” said Ng, who now works in Kuala Lumpur.
Despite having a seemingly hectic childhood, Ng said she enjoyed her schooldays.
“Perhaps I had more energy as I was a lot younger. It did not feel as exhausting as it might sound. I am grateful for the experience.
“Some of my friends in Kuala Lumpur were amazed when they found out what I went through but not my Johor friends, as schooling in Singapore is still very common.”
Separated from family
For civil engineer R. Kalesz, 39, who works in Singapore, the Causeway reminds him of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were all caught off guard when the border closed in March 2020.
“At that point, nobody knew how long things would be that way.
“Initially, we thought that we would not be able to cross the border for two weeks but it then turned into months,” he said.
Kalesz remained in Singapore for about 1.5 months before deciding to leave his job and return to Johor for good.
Kalesz decided to quit his job in Singapore to be with his family during the pandemic.
“It was a very difficult decision to make. At that point, one needed to be quarantined for 28 days (14 days in Singapore and 14 days in Malaysia) to travel between the two countries.
“I was unable to take long leave to visit my family in Johor. As the Covid-19 situation worsened, restrictions were tightened in both countries.
“I was worried that I would not be able to go back to Johor if I waited any longer.
“So, I made the difficult decision of leaving Singapore,” he said.
Kalesz underwent a 14-day quarantine at a hotel before returning home to be with his family, including his daughter, who was only two years old then.
“I had never been away from my family for that long.
“Living in a confined space for 14 days was not easy.
“I could see my house from the hotel room window as it was just a few minutes away. It was so near yet so far.
“The relief I felt when I was finally reunited with my family is hard to put into words.
“Until today, I am reminded of the whole experience every time I go past the hotel.
Kalesz later returned to Singapore for employment and is now back to travelling between the two countries daily.
Reunification relief
Technician Mohd Fauzan Hafizi Rosli, 35, who works in Singapore, was among the thousands who crossed the border at the stroke of midnight on April 1, 2022 – the day the border was reopened after more than two years.
“It was a historic and memorable day for me and many others.
Mohd Fauzan was among the thousands who crossed the Causeway when it reopened.
“Everyone was very happy and excited. I could hear people cheering and singing as I was crossing the border.
“The moment families were reunited after two years was the most meaningful thing that happened at the Causeway and Second Link.”
“I was overwhelmed with joy when I spoke to the media and shed tears when talking about how much I missed my family.”
Mohd Fauzan said that what made the border reopening even more meaningful was the fact that it happened right before Ramadan.
“After two Ramadans of having to break fast away from my family and two Hari Rayas alone in another country, I finally was home for the special occasion,” he added.
Homecoming that went viral
Mohamad Shamyrul Arzemy, who works as a pool serviceman in Singapore, had a memorable experience as he weaved through the congested Causeway in May last year.
“When I think about the Causeway, I remember when I had to rush home during peak hour to witness the birth of my daughter.”
In an attempt to beat the traffic, Shamyrul put a sign that read Beri laluan, isteri nak bersalin (Give way, my wife is about to give birth) on the back of his motorcycle.
Shamyrul braved the congested Causeway to reach his wife when she was about to deliver.
“It was someone’s idea. I was not convinced that it would work but I gave it a try anyway.
“People allowed me to pass through despite the heavy congestion.
“I was touched by their kindness and I will remember this for the rest of my life.”
His experience went viral on social media and was publicised by Malaysian media, including The Star, as well as in Singaporean publications.
“I have travelled across the Causeway for years but making it back in time for my daughter’s birth is definitely my favourite moment,” said Shamyrul.
