STOP THE BLAME GAME FOR A BAD DECISION: Malaysian CIQ toll chaos was orchestrated?

JOHOR BARU - The chaotic situation at the bus lanes of the customs, immigration and quarantine complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building early this morning is believed to have been orchestrated by two factory bus drivers.

Sources said the two drivers stopped their vehicles some 100 metres away from the complex and blocked the entire bus lanes.

This prevented hundreds of factory buses, stage buses, express buses and tour coaches which were behind the two factory busses from entering the complex.

It is learnt the two factory bus drivers were not happy about the toll hike which came into effect at midnight today.

The duo demanded an explanation from the authorities, otherwise they threatened to maintain their block on the bus lanes.

The drama unfolded at about 4am and became worse by 5.30am when Malaysians working in Singapore began arriving at the complex via other stage buses and express buses.

It is learnt that the police had questioned the two factory bus drivers on the motive behind staging the protest.

As a result of the two drivers action, thousands of Malaysians working in the republic had to walk across the Causeway to get to work in Singapore as the bus lanes were choked with hundreds of buses.

The services of hundreds of cross-border stage buses, express buses and tour coaches were also affected as a result of the chaos.

To ensure they get to their workplace in time, workers who depend on factory buses, express buses and stage buses to get to work in Singapore had no alternative but to alight from the buses and walk all the way to the CIQ Complex at Woodlands, Singapore, through the 1.056-kilometre long Causeway.

This was despite the fact that no one is allowed to walk across the Causeway.

Vehicle movement along the bus lanes remained standstill until 8am. However, traffic movement at other vehicle lanes were not affected.

The toll rates for vehicles coming into Malaysia start from RM9.70. For outbound vehicles, the toll rates start from RM6.80.

Formerly, only inbound vehicles were charged with a RM2.90 toll. -NST