First Day Toll Blues

Sim Bak Heng 

sourced from NST online

JOHOR BARU: TWO factory bus drivers have been singled out as the culprits behind the chaos at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building here yesterday, which led to thousands of Malaysians working in Singapore having to walk across the Causeway to reach the republic early in the morning.

The Works Ministry said the act of the two bus drivers who had refused to pay the toll at the complex, triggered the chaos, which lasted for almost three hours.

The ministry said it viewed the case seriously and warned that legal action would be taken against the drivers.

“There were no protests by drivers at the CIQ Complex this morning.

“The overall toll collection was carried out smoothly without incident.”

It was learnt the chaos was orchestrated by the two factory bus drivers, who stopped their vehicles about 100m away from the complex and blocked the bus lanes, preventing hundreds of buses from entering the complex.

It was learnt the two drivers were unhappy with the toll hike, which took place yesterday, and had demanded an explanation from the authorities.

The drama unfolded at 4am and escalated at 5.30am when Malaysians working in Singapore began entering the complex via stage buses and express buses.

Due to the drivers’ actions, numerous Malaysians working in Singapore had to walk across the 1.056km causeway.

The toll rates for vehicles coming into Malaysia start from RM9.70. For outbound vehicles, the toll rates start from RM6.80.

Previously, only inbound vehicles were charged a RM2.90 toll.

Some questioned the rationale behind the drivers’ protest, as the government had only imposed the new toll rates yesterday, 27 months after it was supposed to have been implemented.

Questions were also raised as to why there were no similar reactions when Singapore increased the Vehicle Entry Permit charge into the republic on the same day by RM38 to RM86.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoint Authority said it deployed more officers on the ground yesterday to ensure travellers were cleared smoothly.

It said it would work with its Malaysian counterparts to monitor the situation.

Johor Baru South deputy police chief Supt Mohd Nadzir Ghulam Kadir said the drivers were not arrested, but were advised against repeating their offence.

He said the commotion began about 4.15am and ended about 8.05am, when those involved in the chaos were asked to remove their vehicles from the bus lanes leading to the complex.