JOHOR BARU: Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has called for drastic steps to be taken immediately to ensure the MBike system glitch will not burden motorcyclists plying both entry points during this weekend.
He said with the Singapore school holidays starting this weekend, more travellers are expected to visit the state.
He added with the upcoming Ramadan, it saddens and upsets him that motorists are made to wait long hours in queues in the sun or rain due to the glitch, citing it's not fair to them.
"The issues plaguing the MBike system glitch and any kind of congestions must be addressed immediately…drastic measures and steps must be taken now," he said.
He had earlier urged and pleaded for the relevant authorities to find an immediate resolution to the automated-immigration-clearance MBike system glitch, which occurred on Feb 29.
More than 300,000 Malaysians travel across the Johor-Singapore Causeway on a daily basis.
Johor's official weekends are on Friday and Saturday, while Sunday is a working day. Singapore observes Saturday and Sunday as its weekend.
Due to the MBike system glitch, both Malaysia's entry and exit points, - the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Komplex Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB), are congested causing motorists to queue for long hours, to clear immigration inspections.
Onn Hafiz had taken a personal interest on the issue since he became Johor's 19th menteri besar in 2022.
He vowed to settle the decade-long issue plaguing both CIQs "once and for all."
He had made numerous surprise visits, and also allocated funds to further improve the facilities and amenities.
More than 150,000 vehicles ply both CIQs, while the number increasing during both Johor's and Singapore's weekends.
The MBike system glitch has caused motorists to wait for almost two hours, forcing them to take to social media, and tagging Onn Hafiz.
The State Immigration Department officers have taken temporary measures to ease the congestion.
