DPM: We’ll discuss one centre idea with S’pore
SEGAMAT: Malaysia will discuss with Singapore the proposal to introduce a single inspection centre at the Johor Causeway, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday.
Zahid said he would meet his Singapore counterpart, Teo Chee Hean, to discuss the proposal.
“They (Singapore) must form an action body just as we did. I haven’t met the Singapore deputy prime minister (Teo), but I plan to do so and we will discuss the matter in detail.
“Maybe the question of interpretation is different and this needs articulation from Malaysia and Singapore,” he said after launching the Yong Peng-Segamat federal road rebuilding project in Tenang, here.
Present were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin and Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong, who is Labis member of parliament.
On Saturday, the Singaporean Home Affairs Ministry rejected the proposal to introduce a single immigration and Customs checkpoint at the Johor Causeway.
Zahid said if the proposal could be implemented, the checkpoint would solve the traffic jam problem at the causeway.
However, he said, Malaysia should respect Singapore’s security concerns, but did not foresee any problem for the suggestion to be implemented.
“We know that there is a bottleneck at the Johor Causeway and I have discussed with the menteri besar, as well as the Federal Government to tackle the issue together,” he said.
Zahid said he had chaired the action body to tackle congestion at the causeway and it was expected that RM100 million would be spent to upgrade the existing route to overcome the bottleneck issue.
“We have agreed, in principle, that the cost would be shared, with the state government bearing 50 per cent while the remainder would be borne by the Federal Government,” he said.