New Straits Times 19 Nov 09;
JOHOR BARU: The state Customs Department yesterday revealed the number of lorries carrying sand that ply between Johor and Singapore via the Causeway.
The figures were for lorries passing through the Wisma Kastam cargo checkpoint at Tanjung Puteri here.
The figures showed that 1,000 lorries moved between Johor and Singapore through the checkpoint daily.
It was reported on Tuesday that out of 1,000 lorries going through daily, 500 were carrying sand.
Department director Mhd Subre Ishak said the 500 lorries did not carry sand, but various materials with only a small number carrying silica sand.
"There are only 40 Singapore-bound lorries which carried silica sand on a daily basis," he said.
His clarification was aimed at quashing worries of large exports of sand to the republic, which is an issue of controversy. Local suppliers are alleged to have ignored local demand and preferred to export their sand to Singapore due to the high exchange rate.
Sand also became an issue during the controversial reclamation works done by Singapore at Tuas and Pulau Tokong near Kota Tinggi, which began in December 2002.
Subre said the Customs Department conducted stringent checks on sand-laden lorries at the checkpoint, including taking samples and sending them for tests at the Geology Department.
He said his department also kept tabs on "high-risk" exporters, which were companies with records of Customs offences.
Extra lane at CIQ complex to ease traffic congestion
New Straits Times 18 Nov 09;
JOHOR BARU: Contractor Gerbang Perdana will build an extra lane to ease congestion at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex.
Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said the extra lane would be a ramp leading to the new Eastern Dispersal Link on the Johor side, and would be completed in a month.
Shaziman said once the new lane was completed, there would be three lanes for cars to enter Johor Baru, after the Customs checkpoint.
The new lane is among several routes, called medium-term routes, that will be completed by the end of next year.
"We have asked Gerbang Perdana to complete the work earlier as all medium-term routes are supposed to be completed in March 2011.
"The work is 47 per cent complete. The medium-term routes cost RM253 million."
On complaints of congestion caused by lorries at the Causeway, Shaziman said the problem should be resolved as the cargo checkpoint for lorries in Tanjung Puteri began operating 24 hours since Sunday.
He said the congestion was caused by Singapore-bound lorries that wait near the Tanjung Puteri cargo checkpoint after clearance by Customs.
"Many lorry drivers wait for the right time to enter Singapore. They usually wait for the operation hours (of businesses) to begin at 9am before proceeding. This is one cause for the congestion," Shaziman said after visiting the CIQ complex and cargo complex for lorries at Tanjung Puteri.
He said 700 lorries travelled from Singapore to Malaysia through the Causeway daily, while the daily number of lorries from Malaysia to Singapore was 1,000. About 500 of the Singapore-bound lorries carry sand.
Shaziman said he would brief the cabinet on Friday on other measures to ease traffic congestion at the CIQ complex.
Among them is a proposal to add another 36 immigration booths to the current 36 at the complex. "PLUS (Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan) Bhd has agreed to this."
