Malaysia proposes new way to ease Singapore Causeway traffic

THERE may be relief for 150,000 commuters who endure hours-long waits to cross the road border from Malaysia to Singapore, The Star reported.

Malaysia has proposed a “single clearance system” to ease traffic along the Johor-Singapore Causeway, which often has workers waking up as early as 4 am to get to work on time.

The proposal, still in its initial stages, would have Malaysian immigration officials on the Singapore side of the Causeway, with Singaporean officials deployed to Johor.

The congestion results in at least a two-hour wait time at border checkpoints between the city-state and Malaysia’s southern state of Johor. In normal circumstances, the journey takes only 20 minutes.

Additional funds would be granted under the proposal for more motorcycle lanes on the Causeway and Second Link in Tuas, while passenger cars would be able to access truck lanes during the weekend.

The Singapore-Malaysia border checkpoints are among the busiest land crossings in the world, with about 200,000 travellers departing daily before the pandemic. BLOOMBERG