[KUALA LUMPUR] The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone’s (JS-SEZ) biggest challenge is slashing immigration clearance time to 20 minutes – a crucial step to transform the congested Causeway into a seamless link for talent and trade and meet the SEZ’s ambitious goals, said Malaysia’s Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
He emphasised that addressing this hurdle is key to unlocking the zone’s full potential as a model for bilateral cooperation, the top priority being the harmonisation of customs policies and the use of technology to streamline clearance times.
“The real potential of Johor and Singapore can only be unlocked if we address the bottlenecks hindering seamless movement,” Rafizi stressed in an interview with The Business Times.
This efficiency is crucial for attracting talent and enabling Singaporeans to live in Johor while working in Singapore, he said, adding that without a fast and reliable commuting experience, the JS-SEZ risks falling short of its ambitious goals.
The Johor-Singapore Causeway is well-known as one of the busiest crossings in the world. As at March 2024, an average of between 430,000 and 450,000 people travelled through here daily, based on data from Johor Immigration. This figure even exceeds the 400,000 average recorded in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Currently, immigration clearance in Johor takes as little as 30 minutes during off-peak times, but can stretch to several hours during peak periods.