PONTIAN: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi is supportive of a move to open up a "shortcut" at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor Baru.
He said the matter involving access at the checkpoint had already been brought up to the Home Ministry and he hoped it would make a decision soon.
"I have told the ministry to consider reopening the 'shortcut' so that people do not have to walk that far.
"I was made to understand that there are some safety concerns as there have been accidents in the area.
"While the number of such incidents is small, we still need to take safety matters into consideration," he said.
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A thorough study needed to be conducted to address safety concerns involving the alternative route, he told the media after officiating the state-level "wave the Jalur Gemilang" programme at the Pontian Municipal Council here on Thursday (Aug 17).
Onn Hafiz was asked to comment on The Star's report regarding the "shortcut" near the BSI that had been closed since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Star reported that hundreds of pedestrians, including pregnant women and senior citizens, were asking for it to be reopened.
They said the shorter route, near the old Lion Hotel (now known as Hako Hotel) along Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, would save them time as they were now forced to walk 1.5km around the complex.
Its reopening would also disperse traffic from the city centre, which was now heavily congested due to ongoing construction works for the Rapid Transit System (RTS).
Meanwhile, checks by The Star showed that signs have been put up to deter pedestrians from using the access.
Auxiliary and traffic policemen had also been posted in the area to turn away those trying to cut through the bus lanes into the Immigration area.
The area even had two functioning escalators and was only a few minutes’ walk to the Immigration counters.
