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Johor's Menteri Besar (chief minister) Onn Hafiz Ghazi paid another visit to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Bahru on May 2 and was once again visibly upset at the traffic situation.
He earlier made a surprise inspection at the same facility in the run-up to the Hari Raya festive season and urged staff to be more prepared for heavy traffic.
Traffic bottleneck
In a video uploaded by TikTok user @jdt01unite on May 2, Onn Hafiz can be seen questioning some immigration officials, demanding to know why the motorcyclists were honking incessantly.
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“Why are they honking? [...] Something is happening here,” remarked the chief minister.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
The clip then pans to a large queue of motorcyclists moving at a slow pace within the complex, while the honking continues.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
“This is the first time I’m seeing this kind of traffic bottleneck. Something is happening down there,” Onn Hafiz reiterated.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
“Why is there a bottleneck?” He continued to ask.
Only one lane open
The video then showed Onn Hafiz walking towards the source of the bottleneck to inspect the situation.
Upon discovering that there was only one motorcycle lane open due to a sky lift blocking the road, he expressed his displeasure.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
He proceeded to reprimand the immigration officials and said that it was unacceptable, before instructing them to move the sky lift away.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
The video then cuts to scenes after the sky lift's removal, depicting smoother traffic flow and Onn Hafiz who continued to monitor the traffic from above.
Screenshot via TikTok/@jdt01unite
Netizens laud inspection
As of time of writing, the video has garnered more than 1.7 million views and 123,000 likes.
Netizens were thankful that the Johor Chief Minister was conducting regular inspections on the CIQ complex and calling for better traffic management.
Some even suggested that he move his office to the facility or conduct similar spot-checks at the other CIQ complex.
Easing congestion
Onn Hafiz’s inspections come at a time when cross-border traffic flow is recovering at a steady rate, leading to long queues and congestion on both sides.
Some attempts have been made to mitigate the situation, such as allowing Singaporeans to use e-gates at the Causeway, a proposal to let travellers clear customs only once, and ensuring that counters stay open during peak seasons.
Upgrading works are also expected to be conducted at both CIQ complexes in the near future.
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Top images via TikTok/@jdt01unite