JOHOR BARU: The Johor government is still in the midst of discussions to reopen the third pedestrian route to the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facility.
However, State Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said security remained an issue with the reopening of the pedestrian shortcut.
He said the route had been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We brought the proposal to a special cabinet committee meeting in an effort to tackle the issue of congestion, and we received information that among the main challenges are security.
"Currently, we are still discussing with the Home Ministry and talks continue in regards to the proposed third route into the CIQ.
"The only challenge is security and most of the agencies related to security agree. We are in the midst of discussions. We are hoping discussions will be resolved in a several months," he said today.
Fazli was speaking to reporters today after the launch of the Causeway Link bus service between Country Garden Danga Bay and JB Sentral.
Fazli had been asked by reporters on the proposal to reopen the shortcut.
On a related matter, he said the state government was still evaluating the Proof of Concept (POC) implementation of the QR code system for the bus and motorcycle lanes at BSI.
He said if the method proved effective, it would be expanded to the car and lorry lanes.
"We are currently conducting the POC for the QR code at the bus and motorcycle lanes. Let's see how well it goes.
"The POC for the QR codes ends this month. I have contacted the Home Ministry and Immigration Department for the expansion of the OR codes to the car and lorry lanes."