Wait and see: Commuters will have to wait a little longer for a possible shorcut into the CIQ complex. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Daily commuters will have to wait a little longer for a possible third and shorter route into the immigration clearance area at the Causeway Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the Federal Government was still looking into the matter as factors such as safety and security were main concerns.
“The shortcut is being studied carefully. There were also suggestions to provide shuttle bus services (to the shortcut) for pedestrians coming from the Stulang area to enter Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) CIQ.
“Before it (the shortcut) was closed, accidents used to take place and if allowed to open, casualties might occur.
“Negligence is also another concern; that was why the Home Ministry decided to stop entry via that route,” he said after attending a task force meeting to address the traffic congestion issues at both of Johor’s CIQs here yesterday.
Asked whether the shortcut issue was brought up in the meeting, Onn Hafiz said yes.
“We are thinking about the shuttle buses, or maybe a special lane for (the pedestrians) but no decision has been made yet. More time is needed to study it,” he added.
Currently, the BSI CIQ is only accessible via two legal entrances, located in Jalan Jim Quee and Jalan Tun Razak, and both roads can get quite congested due to the ongoing Rapid Transit System Link project.
The Star previously highlighted that hundreds of pedestrians, including pregnant women and senior citizens, had asked for the shortcut to be reopened.
The shortcut, which is near Hako Hotel along Jalan Lingkaran Dalam here, makes it easier for pedestrians to walk into the CIQ complex.
Currently they have to walk about 1.5km around the building to enter the immigration clearance area.
According to a BSI CIQ official, pedestrians were previously allowed access into the building, located near the lorry entrance, via the shortcut for many years until the Home Ministry stopped it during the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Sept 7, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said it was seriously considering reopening the pedestrian shortcut.
On Aug 19, Onn Hafiz reportedly said he also supported the move to reopen the shortcut.
On Oct 11, Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen agreed that the Federal Government should reopen the shortcut as a proper and gazetted alternative route for pedestrians but proper signage and crossings should be made available.
At least two major government agencies – the police and the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) – have voiced their support, with the council making plans to set up a bus-stop nearby with shuttle services to prevent congestion.
