Congestion At JB CIQ Caused By Officers Being Late For Work And Using Phones On The Job
A special committee has been formed to look into these allegations.
By John Lim — 19 Jun 2018, 11:52 AM
Johor Bahru’s Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) complex is no stranger to travellers commuting between Singapore and Malaysia through the Causeway bridge
Hordes of Singaporeans and Malaysians use the complex on a daily basis for work and travel purposes, with some passing through it more than once a day.
A convenient exit and entry point no less. But the CIQ is also notorious for its long lines, often resulting in hours on end to clear the immigration counters.
Two contributing factors behind the congestion have been uncovered, according to media reports
The Star Online and Berita Harian on 18 June reported that the congestion at Johor Bahru’s Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex is caused by Malaysian officers showing up late for work and using their mobile phones during working hours.
These complaints were received by Johor Works, Infrastructure and Transport committee chairman Mazlan Bujang.
As a result, immigration counters often end up not opening on time.
A special committee has been formed to look into the alleged disciplinary issues
"These are all serious allegations on disciplinary issues. We need to improve the situation at the CIQ to ensure that we can help reduce congestion. And, there is no point in playing the blame game as many agencies operate at the CIQ," Mazlan said as quoted by Channel NewsAsia through The Star Online.
He added there was a lack of close circuit cameras (CCTVs) in the complex and more will be added urgently to boost security.
An allocation budget of RM90 million has been set aside by the government to maintain the complex.
There is also a lack of scanning machines and kiosks in the two CIQs - one at the Second Link - resulting in bottlenecks during peak traffic hours
Mazlan told Berita Harian that apart from dismissing officers with disciplinary issues, the department will request for additional funds from the government to set up more counters in both CIQs.