Causeway no-walk rule is on

Causeway no-walk rule is on
By Esther Tan

PEOPLE are no longer allowed to walk across the Causeway to Malaysia, but some are still doing so.
The new rule was announced by the Malaysian government after the opening of the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex last month.

However the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore said that it is not aware of the rule.

ICAS continues to allow people to walk across the Causeway.

A Straits Times check on the situation at the Causeway on Tuesday showed that most people who walked did not go the entire distance between the new CIQ complex and the Singapore checkpoint.

They either hitched a ride to the middle of the Causeway bridge from Johor and walked the rest of the way to the Singapore checkpoint - or they walked from the Singapore checkpoint to the middle of the bridge to wait for their rides back to Johor.

Several motorcyclists were also observed to park their bikes at the old Malaysian checkpoint before walking over the bridge to the Singapore checkpoint.

Although the law has been implemented, it is not being enforced yet, said Johor Immigration director Mohd Nasri Ishak.

Security, police and immigration officers verbally inform those who pass through the complex about the new ruling, he added.

'People are being told that they have to come via a vehicle,' said Mr Mohd.

He explained that with the new complex built for security reasons, people are not allowed to walk in if they did not arrive in a vehicle.

'The government doesn't want just anyone to walk into the building. They must come via a vehicle,' he said.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_322635.html

Walk ban confusion
ICA unaware of rule; Johor official says law in place but not enforced yet
By Esther Tan


ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

PEOPLE are no longer allowed to walk between the Singapore and Malaysia checkpoints at the Causeway, but there seems to be some confusion about the new rule.

The ban was implemented by Malaysia after the opening of the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, which is about 500m further up the road from the old complex.

Johor state immigration director Mohd Nasri Ishak told The Straits Times yesterday that walking on the Causeway - from both directions - was not permitted.

But Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it was not aware of the rule and its officers do not stop people who opt to walk.

Mr Mohd Nasri said that although the law is already in place, it has yet to be enforced but it will be soon.

He did not give a specific date when enforcement will begin.

Security, police and immigration officers at the Malaysian checkpoint verbally inform those who pass through the complex about the new ruling, he added.

Mr Mohd Nasri explained that as the new complex was built for security reasons, people are not allowed to walk in unless they arrived in a vehicle.

'The government doesn't want just anyone to walk into the building,' he said.

Mr Mohd Nasri also pointed out that the roads at the checkpoint were not designed for walking as they have no walkways. 'The public should realise that walking to the new complex is very dangerous,' he said.

Malaysia's ban on walking on the Causeway has resulted in many Malaysians being stranded at the Singapore checkpoint during massive jams along the Causeway, The Star newspaper reported earlier this week.

Prior to the ban, people were able to walk across to the old Malaysian checkpoint when there was a lack of buses during the peak periods. It took about 15 minutes to walk between the two sides.

However when the new checkpoint opened, people on the Malaysian side found that they could not walk across, and this resulted in ugly scenes as people fought their way to board buses at the new CIQ complex.

When contacted, SBS Transit's vice-president of corporate communications Tammy Tan said ridership in general has remained fairly constant.

But an SMRT spokesman said that the company has observed a general increase in passengers using its bus service 950, but did not give exact figures.

Malaysian Ng Wee Chin, a 22-year-old deliveryman who works in Singapore, said: 'I'm not walking over to Singapore from the new checkpoint because it's too far and dangerous.'

His sentiments were echoed by Singapore Institute of Management student Hau Siow Hoon.

The 22-year-old Malaysian has not taken the walk from the new checkpoint to Singapore and she does not intend to try.

'Even the distance between the old checkpoint and the Singapore checkpoint is too far for me,' said Miss Hau.

She added that the narrow roads and the lack of a walkway made it dangerous for pedestrians.

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