S’wak minister suggests extra lanes, counters at Sg Tujoh ICQS complex to ease traffic

MIRI (Jan 25): Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim has suggested that extra lanes and counters using containers be set up for Malaysian vehicles passing through at the Sungai Tujoh Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex, as a temporary measure to overcome traffic congestion there.

He said they had found out that the long queues at Sungai Tujoh immigration checkpoint were due to the layout of the counters.

“With the fishbone design, if the car in the front is not cleared, there will be blockage in the back.

“The design needs to be improved in order for vehicles to come in and go out smoothly.

“Another problem is the bottleneck jam at the Customs counter when three or four vehicles come in at the same time from the Immigration counters,” he said.

Lee told reporters this in a press conference after attending a meeting with Sungai Tujoh ICQS agencies today.

“After a detailed discussion to identify the problem and immediate solution, I suggest that as a temporary measure, we set up a different immigration-check lane and counter using containers, just for Malaysian vehicles.

“As for Customs, there has also been a suggestion, but we need to study it thoroughly first,” he said.

He added that the long-term solution will be the major upgrading of Sungai Tujoh ICQS complex which is still pending approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).

“I’ve addressed this problem numerous times but until today the problem is yet to be resolved.

“We have proposed for the upgrading of this Sungai Tujoh ICQS and we really hope that KDN will make this a priority, because this is a very important gateway for the two countries.

“Not just Brunei, people from Sabah as well as Limbang and Lawas are also using this facility.

“So hopefully, the problem can be settled as soon as possible, and the upgrading of the facility can be included in the next Budget presentation,” he said, adding a major upgrading and improvement needs to be implemented on the ICQS complex to overcome the longstanding congestion problem.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Immigration director Abdul Halim Abang Naili said a task force needs to be set up for the implementation of the temporary measures and to overcome the traffic congestion problem at Sungai Tujoh.

At the meeting, Lee also requested for extra manpower from the Immigration Department and Customs Department to be stationed at the ICQS complex during peak periods such as festive and holiday seasons.

“Hopefully this can overcome the bottleneck problem here.

“I’ve received complaints from people saying that they had to endure a three to four-hour queue at Sungai Tujoh. There was also one saying they were stuck in the jam as long as five hours, but I don’t know how true that is,” disclosed Lee.

According to statistics, a total of 980,737 vehicles came in through the Sungai Tujoh checkpoint last year and 966,021 went out from the same checkpoint during the same period.