Good job: Akmal Nasrullah (back row, fourth from left) posing with winners of a competition held during the National Sports Day event.
JOHOR BARU: The pedestrian shortcut to Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (BSI CIQ) should be reopened as part of an effort to reduce congestion in the area and the Causeway, says Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
Akmal Nasrullah, who is also deputy Local Government Development Minister, said that he will personally bring the matter up to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
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“As the Johor Baru MP, I fully support the suggestion that was brought up, but we also understand that there may be some challenges in realising it.
“I hope this matter will be given due consideration and be looked into by both the state and Federal governments.
“I will also unofficially ask the Minister involved directly on the matter as I believe this in not just an issue involving an area or state, but it is of national interest,” he said during the National Sports Day celebration here at Rumah Pangsa Larkin yesterday.
He said this when asked to comment on the possibility of reopening a shorter pedestrian route into the BSI CIQ.
Akmal Nasrullah said he believes both the state and Federal governments are already looking into the matter seriously.
“The Home Minister recently visited the CIQ with Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi along with several other deputy ministers.
“I believe this was also among issues discussed during the visit.”
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On Oct 11, Onn Hafiz said the Federal Government was still looking into the matter as factors such as safety and security were the main concerns.
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.
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, Saifuddin Nasution said his ministry was seriously considering reopening the pedestrian shortcut.
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 and shuttle services to prevent any congestion.
Onn Hafiz and Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen have also expressed their support for the reopening of the shortcut.
On a separate matter, Akmal Nasrullah lauded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement during the tabling of Budget 2024 of an initiative to set up a single border agency to manage the country’s international borders.
“I believe it will also benefit our border here with Singapore.
“One of the challenges of managing the border is that there are many agencies involved, therefore the setting up of this single agency will help address this challenge.
“As the Johor Baru MP, I see this as a very significant initiative for the area, especially the CIQ,” he said, adding that the Home Ministry is expected to provide more details on the agency.
