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Severe jams along Causeway: Is lack of manpower at customs the cause?

Whatever the reason, please do not subject Singaporeans and others to this unnecessary jam, says a reader.

Whatever the reason, please do not subject Singaporeans and others to this unnecessary jam, says a reader.

Whatever the reason, please do not subject Singaporeans and others to this unnecessary jam, says a reader.

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Philip Wen Kai Long

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in an advisory last month that travellers can expect heavy traffic and delays especially on weekends at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints until the end of the year, because of the December school holidays.

On Sunday Dec 16 at 2.10am, ICA put up a Facebook post saying that “heavy arrival and departure traffic at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints have subsided”. This is not true at all.

I reached the Malaysian customs side of the Causeway around 1.30am on Dec 16.

I was already caught earlier past midnight in the traffic tailback that nearly reached Pelangi mall in Johor Baru.

At first, I thought that it was the Johor side that was the cause of the delay, but as I got near to the Malaysian customs booth, I could see that the start of the jam was from the Singapore end and it had stretched all the way to Johor’s customs and beyond.

We were stationary or crawling along the Causeway until I finally made it to the Singapore checkpoint at around 4.15am and I could clearly see the reason why we had to endure the crazy jam.

Do you have a similar or different experience to share? Or an idea on how to tackle the Causeway jam?

YOUR SAY: Tell us what you think

There was just one or two customs officer(s) checking cars at each of the booths. There are usually four to five booths for each of the six lanes, but only one booth was open a lane.

I asked the officers why so few booths were in operation despite the huge volume of incoming cars, but did not get a reply.

The massive jam, I heard, started early in the evening and did not clear as the night wore on.

Many had to go for toilet breaks or fell asleep in the car while waiting. It was an incredible sight to see drivers on my left and right sleeping, while motorists behind patiently waited for them to wake from their power nap.

I also saw a woman with a child approach the officer to ask where the toilet was.

Sensing that more motorists may be stepping out of their vehicles to enquire about the jam, a second booth suddenly open on my lane.

My journey from Kuala Lumpur to Johor in Malaysia took four hours, but my journey from Johor to Singapore took 4.5 hours. I reached home around 5am on Dec 16.

The human resources department of the ICA has some explaining to do. It must be aware that with year-end heavy traffic, the booths must be fully open and manned to avoid just such a situation.

Try imagining our international airport being manned by two traffic controllers or just operating on one runway.

I don’t think the Causeway jam on Dec 16 has nothing to do with heightened security screening of cars for drugs or for terrorist activities. The traffic volume was not even exceptional.

Whatever the reason, please do not subject Singaporeans and others to this unnecessary jam.

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