JB Checkpoint has been a frequent topic in Singaporean news lately, with events like the 12-hour power outage and long queues at the checkpoint.
It seems that JB Checkpoint will remain in the spotlight for us Singaporeans for now.
Reader: So, what’s the latest update with JB Checkpoint?
Johor’s Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi has urged for the upgrading works at the Sultan Iskandar Building’s (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex to be postponed until the end of the school holiday peak period.
This announcement comes just two days after a related disclosure by the agency.
They revealed that some counters at the Sultan Iskandar Building immigration checkpoint’s bus zone in JB would be closed in a phased manner for upgrading purposes.
In case you missed it, the Johor immigration office announced on 12 December 2023 that several bus zone counters and electronic gates will be closed for a month from 15 December 2023 to 15 January 2024.
These renovation works are scheduled to take place at the Sultan Iskandar Building, which is the customs, immigration, and CIQ in Johor Bahru.
They will mainly impact specific manual counters and e-gates in the departure halls and will be carried out in three distinct phases, according to the immigration office’s Facebook post.
Upgrading Works in JB Checkpoint to be Postponed
On 14 December 2023, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi made an announcement through a Facebook post, which included a screenshot of a report from The Straits Times regarding the matter.
“I have requested that these works be deferred until the end of the school holidays,” he said.
The announcement on 12 December 2023 advised all travellers to consider the closure during this period while planning their trips and to ensure the validity of their travel documents before approaching the immigration counter.
This notice coincided with the school holidays, when travel volumes typically surge.
The one-month closure of selected bus zone counters and electronic gates is scheduled to commence on 15 December 2023, which will coincide with the upcoming Malaysian school holidays, which are set to begin on 16 December 2023 and end on 1 January 2024.
Mr Onn Hafiz’s request has been met with appreciation from commuters who commended his swift response to the issue.
However, as of now, the Johor Bahru immigration authorities have not officially confirmed whether the scheduled closures will be postponed.
Upgrading Works to Occur in 3 Phases
The initial plan for the upgrading work was divided into three phases:
Phase 1, set to commence on 15 December 2023, will impact e-gate counters 1 to 3 and manual counters 1 to 4.
Phase 2, beginning on 21 December 2023, will affect e-gate counters 1 to 6 and manual counters 11 to 18.
Phase 3, scheduled to start on 28 December 2023, will solely impact manual counters numbered 3 to 12.
The renovations in the arrival hall will also affect the same counters.
The e-gate system at BSI and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) at the Second Link Crossing in Gelang Patah facilitates the daily movement of approximately 50,000 Singaporean residents travelling to and from Johor for social purposes, as reported by TODAY.
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry predicts that Malaysia will welcome 7.8 million visits from Singaporean tourists in 2023, with Singapore being the largest contributor to tourist arrivals in Malaysia, accounting for more than 4.5 million arrivals recorded up to July 2023.
Mr Onn Hafiz Ghazi has taken proactive measures to address the extensive congestion and streamline travel procedures at both land border checkpoints in Johor, despite the CIQ facilities at the BSI and KSAB in Iskandar Puteri being under federal government jurisdiction.
However, the recent announcement of temporary closures affecting several bus zone counters, the e-gate system, and the newly introduced Malaysian Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) counter starting Friday (15 December 2023) could potentially hinder the chief minister’s efforts.
Malaysia had earlier announced that starting from 1 January 2024, foreign travellers would be required to complete the MDAC.
However, Singaporeans, diplomatic passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents, Brunei General Certificate of Identity holders, and Thailand Border Pass holders have been granted exemptions.
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