Happy Deepavali 2020

 

S'pore keen to establish air travel bubble with Malaysia

  

Singapore keen to establish air travel bubble with Malaysia

By Bernama - October 30, 2020 @ 5:36pm

14

After having reached an in-principle agreement to establish a bilateral Air Travel Bubble with Hong Kong recently, Singapore is now keen to have a similar arrangement with Malaysia when the time is right. - NSTP file pic

SINGAPORE: After having reached an in-principle agreement to establish a bilateral Air Travel Bubble with Hong Kong recently, Singapore is now keen to have a similar arrangement with Malaysia when the time is right.

The republic's Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said this in an exclusive interview with The Straits Times' news editor Karamjit Kaur on Thursday.

"I would really like to have an air bubble with Malaysia," he said.

"But as of now, the cases in Malaysia are quite high, so I think we will have to wait and see ... We do know and our healthcare officials' assessment is that Malaysia takes the virus control very seriously. So I certainly hope they will succeed in suppressing this current round of spikes.

 

More travellers, including those from Japan and Thailand, can serve COVID-19 stay-home notice at place of residence

From next year, Singapore citizens and permanent residents who last left Singapore before Mar 27 will have to pay for their stay at dedicated stay-home notice facilities, says MOH.

File photo of Changi Airport's transit area. (Photo: Nicole Chang)

27 Oct 2020 09:00PM(Updated: 27 Oct 2020 09:10PM)

 
 
 
 

Bookmark

SINGAPORE: Travellers from more countries will be allowed to serve their 14-day stay-home notice at their place of residence in Singapore instead of a dedicated facility from Nov 4. 

The countries are Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a news release on Tuesday (Oct 27).

To be able to opt out of staying at a dedicated facility, travellers from those places must not have visited any other country in the last 14 days before entering Singapore. 

They must also be living alone at their place of residence or with household members who are also serving a stay-home notice of the same duration and with the same travel history.

Applications to opt out of dedicated facilities open on Nov 2, for arrivals on or after Nov 4.

Singapore citizens and permanent residents must submit an application before their arrival through the Safe Travel Office website.

"All travellers must present the approval to opt out upon arrival in Singapore," said MOH.

"As the list of countries will be updated from time to time depending on the public health risk assessment, all travellers must be prepared to be subject to the prevailing border measures upon entry, including stay in dedicated SHN (stay-home notice) facilities and payment, where applicable."

Currently, except for countries that Singapore has unilaterally opened up to, travellers from selected low-risk countries or regions must serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of residence or suitable accommodation of their choice. All other travellers must serve a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities.

All travellers who opt out of staying in dedicated facilities must stay in their declared place of residence at all times. They will be subject to electronic monitoring and physical spot checks. 

TRAVELLERS TO BEAR COST OF STAY AT DEDICATED FACILITIES

MOH also announced that from Jan 1, 2021, the Government will no longer waive the costs of staying at dedicated stay-home notice facilities for Singapore citizens and permanent residents who last left Singapore before Mar 27.

This is because the "vast majority" of Singapore citizens and PRs who last left Singapore within the past year have returned, the ministry said.

The Government will also no longer foot inpatient medical bills for Singapore citizens, PRs and long-term pass holders (LTPHs) who left the country before Mar 27 if they develop COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of their arrival in Singapore. 

This will take effect from Jan 1 next year.

“They will be able to tap on regular healthcare financial arrangements for their inpatient medical bills – SCs and PRs may access Government subsidies and MediShield Life/Integrated Shield Plan to help pay for their bills, while LTPHs may tap on their usual financing arrangements, such as private insurance,” the ministry said.

It added that Singapore’s border measures will evolve as the global COVID-19 situation changes.

“We will continue to monitor the global health situation closely and update our border measures in accordance with the public health risk assessment," said MOH.

“If the situation in a country/region deteriorates, more stringent measures will be put in place to limit the risk of importation and prevent community transmission from imported cases.”

Hey Corona: "we wanna go to Singapore"

Stay-home notices for all travellers entering Singapore from ASEAN countries, Japan, UK, Switzerland

COVID-19: Stay-home notices for all travellers entering Singapore from ASEAN countries, Japan, UK, Switzerland

People who enter Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice. This will take effect from 11.59pm on Monday (Mar 16) and applies to all travellers, including Singapore residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday.

People who enter Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice.

This will take effect from 11.59pm on Monday (Mar 16) and applies to all travellers, including Singapore residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday.

It will not apply to Singaporeans and Malaysians using sea and land crossings with Malaysia, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said, adding that separate arrangements are currently being worked out by a bilateral joint working group with Malaysia.

Mr Wong, who also co-chairs the multi-ministry taskforce, added that about 300,000 people move across the land checkpoints with Malaysia every day.

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said on Sunday that given Singapore’s proximity to Malaysia, the 14-day stay-home notice will not apply to the land and sea crossings between both countries.

“Singaporean and Malaysian workers who commute between Singapore and Malaysia daily will still be able to do so," Mr Chan said in a Facebook post.

Source: CNA/zl(mi)

Japan trip disrupted? See cherry blossoms at Gardens by the Bay instead

Japan trip disrupted? See cherry blossoms at Gardens by the Bay instead


The Sakura Matsuri floral display returns to the Gardens by the Bay, and the fifth edition features over 500 cherry and peach blossom trees amidst a Japanese springtime landscape.ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

The global coronavirus outbreak may have disrupted some people's plans to travel to Japan this month to view cherry blossoms, but Gardens by the Bay is offering them a chance to view peach and cherry blossoms at its Flower Dome.

Singapore residents can share what their disrupted trip meant to them through the Gardens' website this week for a chance to win free tickets to the Sakura Matsuri, or Japanese for Cherry Blossom Festival, which was launched on Tuesday (March 10).

Tickets will be available for 500 residents who had planned to travel to Japan between March 1 and May 31. They will have to provide proof of trip cancellation from the airline or travel agency, with the names of all travellers.

Gardens by the Bay chief executive officer Felix Loh said the effort is part of the attraction's Where Flowers Never Stop Blooming initiative, which hopes to "inspire and build confidence within the community" at a time when the Covid-19 outbreak has affected businesses and Singaporeans.

"I hope this year's Sakura Matsuri brings the excitement of cherry blossoms to Singapore, and to people who missed out on travelling to Japan due to the prevailing situation. Our green spaces continue to be open for respite and recreation," Mr Loh added.

The Gardens has also partnered Pan Pacific Singapore to offer a 30 per cent discount at the hotel's Edge, Hai Tien Lo and Keyaki restaurants till June 30 if they present a conservatory ticket.

This year's Sakura Matsuri is being organised at the Gardens for the fifth year running. It features over 500 cherry and peach blossom trees amidst a Japanese springtime landscape, which includes a Japanese teahouse, Gassho-style farmhouses, and torii gates.

Children can also follow the adventures of Momotaro, a Japanese folklore hero said to be born from a peach, and three legendary warriors who fought alongside him.

At the launch were National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, Japan's ambassador to Singapore Jun Yamazaki, and Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh.

The festival ends on March 29, and will be capped by the two-day Anime Garden, a celebration of Japanese pop culture with free anisong concerts, anime screenings and appearances by celebrity cosplayers at The Meadow.

Singapore residents get 50 per cent off tickets to the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Floral Fantasy and Supertree Observatory till March 22. Resident children aged 12 and below get free admission to these attractions during the school holidays from March 14 to 22.

~Straits Times~

Singaporeans with fever may not be allowed entry to Johor

Singaporeans with fever may not be allowed entry

Singaporeans entering Johor through international entry points in the state, including the Causeway and Second Link, can be slapped with a “Not to Land Notice” (NTL) if temperature checks show that they have a fever.

State Health director Dr Aman Rabu said temperature checks were being conducted at all international entry points in Johor following the Covid-19 outbreak.

“When a visitor is found to have a high temperature reading, he or she will be referred to a clinic where further screening will be conducted.

“If the person is suspected to have the potential of carrying Covid-19 or have been infected by the virus, they will be referred to the isolation ward in Permai Hospital, ” he said.

Dr Aman said those with a high temperature but were not suspected of being infected would be advised to get treatment at a nearby clinic.

“In cases of Singaporeans with signs of fever, the health department will notify the Immigration Department.

“An NTL will then be issued to the individual by the department, ” he said.

He said no NTL had yet to be issued to Singaporeans during the Covid-19 checks.

Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said the department would follow the Health Ministry’s advice on issuing NTLs to Singaporeans with a fever.

“At the moment, only those from the lockdown cities in certain countries would be issued with the NTL.

“This includes Daegu and Cheongdo in South Korea, as well as the Hubei and Hunan provinces of China, ” he said, adding that other countries included Japan, Iran and Italy.

~The Star~

Expect a hot and dry start to March: Weatherman

Expect a hot and dry start to March: Weatherman

Sweaters may not see as much use soon as the weather is expected to get warm and dry in the first half of March.

Daily maximum temperatures over this period are forecast climb to 35 deg C, with the temperature on most days ranging between 24 deg C and 34 deg C, the weatherman said in its latest forecast on Friday (Feb 28).

The forecast reads dry and warm as the current north-east monsoon and low-level winds from the north gradually weaken around the end of the first two weeks of March.

While there may be thundery showers in the afternoons on some days, it is expected to rain less than normal.

The hot and dry forecast comes on the heels of a windy February in which north-east monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore, according to the review of February's weather by the National Environment Agency's Meteorological Service Singapore.

February 2020 was the second windiest February since records started in 1984. At the the Changi climate station, the average daily wind speed recorded was 13kmh, which was 0.7kmh slower than the windiest February on record in 2014.

Most parts of Singapore recorded less rainfall in February 2020 than normal.

While the monsoon rain band remained south of the equator, and there was not much rain in the first week of February, most days for the rest of the month had brief showers over parts of the island.

The highest rainfall collected in a day occurred at Tuas on Feb 10 as it poured in the late afternoon and evening.

As of Thursday, the highest temperature recorded was 35.5 deg C on Feb 16 in Admiralty, while the lowest temperature plummeted to as low as 22.8 deg C.

At the Changi climate station, the mean temperature for the month was 27.8 deg C, 0.7 deg C higher than February's long-term average temperature.

~The Straits Times~

Pisang Goreng - Fried Banana

Pisang goreng (fried banana in Indonesian/Malay) is a snack made of banana or plantain, covered in batter or not, being deep fried in hot cooking oil, and is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei.



Pisang goreng is most often associated with Indonesia, and indeed the country has the largest variety of pisang goreng recipes. However, this fried banana snack is also considered native to neighbouring countries; particularly Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. 

It is consumed as a snack in the morning and afternoon. In Indonesia and Malaysia, pisang goreng is often sold by street vendors, although some sellers have a storefront from which to sell their wares.

~Wikiepdia~

Gridlock at Causeway

Gridlock at Causeway



Slowdown: A view of the congestion at the Causeway, with Johor in the foreground.

The usual traffic congestion at the Causeway here has worsened due to the health screening at the entry points of both Johor and Singapore.

Frequent travellers passing through the Causeway have expressed their frustration over the congestion, which has gotten from bad to worse during peak hours, especially on Fridays and weekends.

Singaporean policeman Abdul Haniff Abdul Hamid, 38, who was passing through the Causeway to enter Johor at about 1pm, said that he noticed traffic started to build up at about noon on Friday.

“The Causeway would normally still be empty at that time and will only start to get congested at around 3pm on Friday,” he said.

Another traveller, Malaysian S.Sathia, 36, who works as a security officer in Singapore, said that temperature screening on those entering Malaysia started a few days back.

“After the temperature checks started, the traffic seems to be slower than usual.

“Previously you would only see three or four cars queuing up to enter Johor at 6am, but now I can see a lot more than that number,” he said.

Meanwhile, cafe assistant Asilah Manof, 27, said that while the congestion was bad, it was something that many frequent travellers were used to.

“The traffic on the Causeway was pretty bad today but it is normal for it to be congested as it is a Friday.
v “Many people will be entering Johor to spend the weekends on Friday,” she said, adding that she expects it to be far worse this weekend.

She added that the temperature checks have also contributed to the congestion here.

Singapore raised its alert status level from yellow to orange on Feb 7 due to heightened risk of infection as four cases of infected patients in the country had no known links to China or the people who were already infected.

This means that the Covid-19 (coronavirus) could be spreading in the community.

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Lorry Operators Association secretary-general Alvin Choong questioned if the Singapore government would quarantine lorry drivers who register a high temperature reading while travelling back to Malaysia

“Obviously there are a lot of lorry drivers now getting very worried because if they go into Singapore and are detected with (high) temperature, I don’t know if the government will hold them back for quarantine.

“That’s why right now it is a very uncomfortable situation,” he said.

Choong said the majority of the lorry drivers mainly deliver food items to Singapore, adding that they would also carry cargo back from the Singapore port.

The Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia adviser, Datuk Jeffrey Ng, said so far it has not seen any differences in the delivery of goods into Singapore by the authorities.

“They (the Singapore government) have not sent out any new instructions to us. So, if there is no new instruction, it should be status quo.

“Usually if there are any changes, Singapore will inform us early.

“The whole thing about this Covid-19 is that it is human to human, and up till now, Singapore’s status is only yellow to orange (alert status). They are not sealing their city or town, so I think everything is still normal,” he said.

Under Dorscon, or the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition, the orange alert status means that the outbreak has a moderate to high public health impact.

The yellow alert status refers to a mild infection or a severe infection but it is not spreading.

This is only the second time that Singapore has activated the orange alert status since the swine flu (H1N1) outbreak in 2009.

Singapore has so far seen 58 people being infected with the virus while Malaysia has 19 confirmed cases.

~The Star~

S'pore to stop accepting M'sian collective travel documents next year

Singapore to stop accepting Malaysian collective travel documents next year

Singapore will stop accepting the Malaysian collective travel document (MCTD) at its international entry points, effective from Jan 1,2021.

“This is to strengthen the security and efficiency of immigration clearance at Singapore’s checkpoints, ” said the republic’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement Wednesday (Feb 5).

According to the ICA, the MCTD is a travel document issued by the Immigration Department to groups of five to 20 Malaysian nationals, in lieu of passports.

However, the ICA said the MCTD poses security concerns as it facilitates the sharing of one travel document by multiple unrelated travellers.

Other than the MCTD, the ICA said it does not accept any other countries’ collective travel documents.

The ICA said the MCTD also requires manual data entry of all travellers’ details, leading to longer clearance times as the authority moves towards automation and biometrics clearance.

“MCTD holders are also unable to use our automated lanes. As such, we will no longer accept the MCTD for immigration clearance at our checkpoints from Jan 1,2021, ” it said.

The ICA urged Malaysian travellers currently issued with an MCTD to apply for passports if they plan to travel to Singapore from Jan 1,2021 onwards.

It added that it has informed Malaysia’s Immigration Department of its plans to cease recognition of the MCTD for immigration clearance, and will work with the department on the implementation. – Bernama

Travellers worry about screening at Johor checkpoints

Travellers worry about screening at Johor checkpoints

Daily travellers between Malaysia and Singapore are concerned over what they see as a lack of temperature screening at Johor’s checkpoints following the coronavirus outbreak.

Frequent travellers say there is no screening at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine for those arriving by motorcycles, cars, buses or trains.

About 8,000 passengers use the KTMB train services between Woodlands and Johor Baru Sentral on a daily basis, with KTMB providing 31 trips via its Tebrau shuttle.

Private security officer K. Visvam, 38, who enters the island republic on his motorcycle daily for work, said he never noticed any screening at the BSI CIQ.

“So far, it has been a smooth journey for me and many other motorcyclists as there has been no screening carried out on the motorcycle lane, ” he added.

Frequent traveller S. Tamilarunan, 32, said he was surprised that there was no screening done at the motorcycle lane when he enters Malaysia.

“I thought there will be stringent checks in the wake of the virus but it seems the authorities on the Malaysian side are leaving everything to their Singaporean counterparts, ” he said.

Mother of two Natalie Ten Yen Ling, 40, who went on a holiday with her family to Singapore recently, said there was stringent screening at the Woodlands side.

“We were caught in a massive jam due to the stringent checks by Singapore but when we entered Malaysia, it was a swift and smooth experience with no screening, much to our dismay, ” she said.

Karen Ng, 26, who works as an auxiliary police officer in Singapore, did not notice any checks as she passed through BSI on her way back to her hometown in Melaka on a bus to celebrate Chinese New Year.

”There is a long queue due to the high number of travellers at the clearance counters inside BSI but there were no screenings at all.”

Meanwhile, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal is calling for stringent security control at all entry points into the state, especially at the Senai International Airport, BSI and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex at the Second Link.

“The government, through the agencies that are involved in the safety and security, should give confidence to the people through all kinds of medium, especially social media.

“This involves sharing strategy that has been implemented by the government through the Health Ministry, ” he said in his speech during the state level security management programme held at Kota Iskandar here yesterday.

~The Star~

Wuhan virus to hit Singapore’s tourism sector

Wuhan virus to hit Singapore’s tourism sector, but too soon to assess impact on overall economy: Experts

The Wuhan virus outbreak is set to impact Singapore’s tourism-related sectors in the coming months and possibly “cast a shadow” on economic growth for the first quarter, some economists said.

But with uncertainties still swirling over the severity and spread of the virus, it is too early to tell how big a hit the new infectious coronavirus could have on the overall Singapore economy this year, they told CNA.

As of Tuesday (Jan 28), Singapore has confirmed seven cases of the China-originated virus.

Speaking at a multi-agency press conference on Monday, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing warned that the outbreak will affect Singapore’s economy, business and consumer confidence in 2020, with tourism-related sectors being of “immediate concern”.

CIMB Private Banking economist Song Seng Wun said this impact on tourism will likely start showing as soon as next month, particularly after authorities in China announced a halt of all group tours, both at home and to other countries, with effect from Monday.

China is the biggest source of tourists to Singapore, accounting for nearly one fifth of total visitor arrivals, he said.

Already, one travel agency has seen a flurry of cancellations by Chinese tour groups over the past few days. Dynasty Travel’s director of public relations and communications Alicia Seah told CNA that its bookings from China for February have “all been cancelled”.

Mr Song said: “The latest measure will see visitor arrivals for February being affected and other frontline sectors, like retail and F&B (food and beverage), will also take some impact.”

“The longer this ban stays in place, the bigger the impact,” he added. “And if the developments over the next month prove to be not as favourable, then it won’t just be the Chinese that are travelling less but across all nationalities. That will further impact the tourism-related sectors here.”

Ms Selena Ling, OCBC’s head of treasury research and strategy, also told CNA that the tour cancellations, alongside some hit to business and economic confidence, in the wake of the Wuhan virus outbreak will likely “cast a shadow” over Singapore’s economic growth momentum in the first quarter of 2020.

In a bid to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, China has also rolled out other measures, such as extending the Chinese New Year holiday. The effect of this extended break on factory output, alongside lower consumer spending as people stay at home, will have a “significant hit” on the Chinese economy for the first quarter, said economist Rajiv Biswas from IHS Markit.

This weaker Chinese demand for imports of goods and services could have “flow-on effects” to Singapore’s manufacturing sector, which exports raw materials, intermediate and finished goods to China, the chief economist for Asia-Pacific added.

FULL IMPACT STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL: ECONOMISTS

But beyond that, these three economists stressed that it is still too early to assess the full impact of the virus on the Singapore economy.

Ms Ling said: “The key questions are how long this will last, whether it will get more severe from here and what control measures are taken that might disrupt productivity.

“While people seem to be looking to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) as a proxy, it is still too early to tell the full impact for now.”

Echoing that, Mr Biswas said the extent of the negative hit on Singapore’s economic growth remains “highly uncertain, depending on the speed with which the Wuhan virus epidemic is contained”.

Mr Song also noted that at the moment, consumer confidence in Singapore appears to be unaffected.

“The thing to note is whether people are reassured by the immediate remedial measures that have been implemented. Compared with the SARS period where we were dealing with a virus outbreak for the first time, we’ve since had Zika and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) and I think we are far better prepared in our preventive measures,” he said.

“People seem to have gone on with their daily activities for now, though more are wearing masks. As long as people carry on with their daily lives, the impact on domestic activities won’t be as severe.”

Nevertheless, economists noted that the outbreak coincides with a dip in overall exports and growth in Singapore’s economy, suggesting less wiggle room should a worst case scenario happens.

As such, Ms Ling said she is mulling a slash in the lower-end of her full-year growth estimate.

“We were looking at 1 to 2 per cent for Singapore’s economy in 2020, but we may adjust to 0 to 2 per cent to accommodate the potential downside risks,” she said.

HELP FOR AFFECTED BUSINESSES – HOW BIG AND HOW SOON?

Mr Chan on Monday had said that the Government will implement necessary measures to help businesses impacted by the Wuhan virus, as with previous episodes such as the SARS outbreak in 2003.

These could include reducing business costs, alleviating cash flow problems and help to retain workers.

During the SARS outbreak in 2003, the Government rolled out a S$230 million relief package to support the most adversely hit sectors.

For the tourism-related industries, these included property tax rebates, reduction in foreign worker levy for unskilled workers, a bridging loan programme for small- and medium-sized enterprises to alleviate short-term cash-flow problems and enhanced training grants.

The transport sector saw targeted measures such as diesel tax rebates for taxis and waivers of taxi operator license fees.

Economists said it remains too early to speculate if the Government will release a relief package of a similar quantum this time round. They also had mixed views if help could come as early as the upcoming Budget in February.

For instance, Mr Biswas thinks the upcoming Budget statement, which will be delivered on Feb 18 by Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, could include measures to assist the vulnerable tourism and travel sectors.

On the other hand, Ms Ling reckoned that it is still early days into the virus outbreak and the Government could take a “wait and watch" approach.

IMPACT ACROSS THE REST OF ASIA

As of Tuesday, the death toll in China has jumped to 106 and the number of total confirmed cases up to 4,515, the country’s authorities said.

Across the world, confirmed cases have also been reported in Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States, heightening fears of the global economic impact of the new deadly virus.

For Asia Pacific, the Wuhan coronavirus poses a “significant downside risk” to region’s economic outlook in the near term, if the epidemic continues to escalate in coming weeks, said Mr Biswas.

“The extent and duration of this negative shock to regional economic growth will depend on how quickly the Wuhan virus epidemic can be brought under control, which remains very uncertain.”

Governments in Asia Pacific are likely to respond with a range of fiscal and monetary policy stimulus measures to prop up growth momentum in the near term. In particular, measures to help the tourism and travel sectors which are particularly vulnerable to this economic shock, he added.

Source: CNA/sk

Johor immigration all set for CNY rush

Johor immigration all set for CNY rush

The Immigration Department is all set to deal with the surge of visitors coming through the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Johor this Chinese New Year.

Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the department has taken several proactive measures to avoid congestions at the immigration checkpoints and ensure visitors pass through them smoothly.

“We expect there would be congestions at those checkpoints between Jan 23 and Jan 28 so we have taken several measures including ensuring that all counters are open at both places especially at the bus, motorcycle and car lanes,” he said.

Khairul said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 22), that there will also be 12 additional counters at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex making a total of 36 counters available at the complex.

There will also be special counters for pregnant women, senior citizens, and people with disabilities at counters 3 and 4 at the Sultan Iskandar Building while similar counters will be open at the car lanes at Sultan Abu Bakar Complex.

He added steps have been taken to ensure the systems at both entry points are in good working condition and that leave has also been frozen for officers at both entry points, with officers from other units being redeployed to the Sultan Iskandar Building and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex.

“We will also be collaborating and coordinating with other relevant agencies such as the police, the Customs Department and the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services at the entry points,” he said adding that visitors can follow traffic updates at both entry points on the Johor Immigration Department’s social media pages.

He also advised road users to follow traffic rules and reminded visitors from Singapore to ensure they had enough credit balance on their Touch and Go cards as well as encouraged travellers to consider using public transportation.

~The Star~