JOHOR CAUSEWAY AND WOODLANDS CHECKPOINT (Traffic congestion)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung asked the Minister for Home Affairs what are the reasons for the traffic jams recently experienced at the Causeway after the opening of the new Woodlands Checkpoint.

Mr Tay Beng Chuan asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the main contributing factors to the current traffic jams at the Johor Causeway and whether any long-term solutions to the problem are being taken; and (b) whether statistics are available on the number of work permit holders among the total number of commuters travelling across the Causeway daily.

Mr Zulkifli bin Baharudin asked the Minister for Home Affairs what are the reasons for the traffic congestion at the Causeway.

Mr Hawazi Daipi asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what caused the recent traffic jams at the Causeway and how this can be avoided in the future; (b) what is the possibility of both the Singapore and Malaysian authorities stepping up cooperation to avoid similar problems at their respective entry and exit points; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider the proposal to use a special pass for lorry drivers and smart card for motorcyclists so that they can clear immigration checks quickly.

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Home Affairs what causes the severe traffic congestion at the Causeway and Woodlands Checkpoint especially during peak hours and what measures have been taken to solve the problem.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, may I take questions 1 to 5 together as they are related?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the morning traffic at the Causeway has always been extremely busy. In the past, because our immigration officers were not able to conduct complete checks, illegal immigrants were able to slip into Singapore, especially during peak hours. In the first half of 1999, more than 70% of the 5,500 illegal immigrants arrested came through the old Woodlands Checkpoint. It is, therefore, necessary to conduct stricter immigration checks at all times. When the new Woodlands Checkpoint opened on 18th July this year, Singapore Immigration and Registration (SIR) started stricter checks.

Sir, to prepare travellers for the new Woodlands Checkpoint, SIR conducted trial runs over a few days for arriving and departing travellers during the peak-periods. In addition to media publicity, pamphlets in the four official languages were given to all travellers at the old Woodlands Checkpoint.

There are three incoming lanes into Singapore and three outgoing lanes to Johor on the Causeway. On the first few mornings, there was heavy congestion as vehicles were unable to get into the correct lanes after leaving the Johor checkpoint. In particular, huge numbers of motorcyclists jostled for space among cars, buses and lorries. Lorry traffic was also heavy as usual.

At the Checkpoint, stricter immigration checks were carried out on travellers, taking about 30 to 45 seconds each. Customs takes about two to three minutes to clear each lorry. There is a red and green lane system for customs clearance for all travellers, including lorries.

To relieve the congestion, SIR and Traffic Police deployed more officers to direct traffic on the Causeway. One Johor-bound lane was converted into a Singapore-bound lane, making a total of four incoming lanes to Singapore and two outgoing lanes to Johor. More clearance counters were opened.

Sir, what is the current situation? After the first week, school and factory buses are now generally cleared by 7.00 am, which is better than before; cars are moving steadily, also better than before; and the motorcycle queue has eased off earlier, at about 8.00 am instead of 9.00 am at the old checkpoint. The lorry queue remains the same as before.

The clearance of buses, cars and motorcycles and lorries is now normal. The situation has stabilised.

On the departure side, there is a marked improvement in the traffic situation. Traffic used to stretch right up to the BKE during the evening peak-hour. It is now confined to near the checkpoint boundaries.

SIR is looking into ways to further improve the clearance rate at the Checkpoint. There is a smart card clearance system at the bus halls. More regular commuters have applied for these smart cards and will be encouraged to do so. There is also a pilot study to clear motorcyclists through the smart card system.

There is already a special pass for lorry drivers who make 20 or more trips a month. These Multiple Journey Visit Passes (MJVPs) may be given to more lorry drivers.

Sir, the congestion during the first few days of operation is unlikely to be repeated. As regards Mr Hawazi's question on both sides stepping up cooperation, there are already links between SIR and Customs, and their Malaysian counterparts.

Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung (Sembawang): Sir, may I ask the Minister of State to clarify what is meant by "stricter immigration checks"? Is this primarily to control the number of illegal immigrants trying to enter Singapore?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the Member is correct. As I said, for the first half of this year, out of the 5,500 illegal immigrants who were arrested, 70% or almost 3,800 said that they came through the Woodlands Checkpoint. One reason could be because of the large number of motorcyclists involved. What they did in the past was to flash their travel documents, and only about 12-13% would be checked. So the rest would just flash through. Because of the constraints at the old Checkpoint, we could not check everybody. So this is one gap which we feel we have to plug. And so with the new Woodlands Checkpoint, all the motorcyclists and all the other travellers are checked. Their travel documents are given to the customs officers who will look at the photographs and check the particulars against the persons.

Mr Shriniwas Rai (Nominated Member): Sir, the Tuas Second Link is now under utilised. Would the Government consider working with the Malaysian government in a scheme to popularise its use, so as to ease the congestion at the Woodlands Checkpoint?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the means of regulating the use of the Causeway and the Second Link are by means of the tolls. And as the Member knows, toll amounts are not just derived at from one side. They are derived from both sides, taking into consideration what each side is paying for the tolls. This is something that cannot just be unilaterally changed by ourselves. In terms of regulating traffic flow, this really comes under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). It is something that MCIT can consider. Like I said, it is not just a matter of simply raising tolls to regulate traffic. I think what we have to do is that we have to recognise that the main bulk of traffic will still come through the Woodlands Checkpoint. Like I have said, there were, of course, initial teething problems. But arising from the various measures that have been taken, these problems have been largely solved, and the situation has stabilised.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, I have noticed that in the old Woodlands Checkpoint, many of the immigration booths were not opened during peak hours. I do not know whether the Minister has given instructions for all the booths in the new Checkpoint to be opened, especially during the crowded periods.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, like I have said, one of the measures taken to ameliorate the situation arising in the first few days was the opening of more counters. For example, as a quick check, in the old Woodlands Checkpoint, for motorcycles and cars, there were 24 counters. Now, there are 53 counters for motorcycles and cars in the new Woodlands Checkpoint. This is more than double. For buses, at the old Woodlands Checkpoint, there were 10 counters, and now there are 26 counters, including the conversion of some departure counters into arrival counters. Not only has SIR converted one departure lane into an arrival lane so that there is better flow, but for the bus commuters, six of the counters, I understand, have also been so converted to accommodate a faster flow. And lorry counters have been raised from four in the old Woodlands Checkpoint to six.

Sir, I take Mr Chiam's point that more counters should and indeed have been opened. I think the basic point is that what can be done have been looked at and have been done. But, of course, like I have said, SIR together with the other agencies is still looking at ways to improve the situation, eg, getting more of the commuters, particularly the bus commuters, to go into the immigration access card system. I understand that since the new Woodlands Checkpoint opened, about 4,000 new cards have been issued. So the situation should further improve.