It was Monday 4.40pm, it took 10 minutes to clear the Malaysian customs as there are about more than 20 counters opened. Then the massive jam at the entry point to Tuas started and reached the counters after 2 hours and realized that only Complex A1 was opened and A2 closed. Total counters opened are 10 counters out of 32 total counters for cars.
The ICA officer told me that it's due to manpower shortage. My question to ICA is :
1) It is peak hour during a peak period of traveling between Malaysia and Singapore. Why are there not enough counters opened to alleviate the jam? 10/32 counters are hardly half of capacity.
2) Are there shortage of ICA officers? One ICA officer said that the hours and the low wages are major deterrents for young locals to join ICA at checkpoints.
3) Are essential services such as ICA at stakes because of low pay and low career prospects for locals?
4) It is unacceptable when only 10 counters out 32 counters are opened (16 counters for A1 Complex and 16 counters for A2 Complex) during peak hours. It is incredible that Msia side can clear the cars in 10 minutes but Singapore side due to incompetence in planning resulted in massive jam. Malaysia customs opened more counters, in fact, double of that of Singapore side.
And there's no law and order because a lot of Singapore cars as well as Msian cars are queue cutting blocking the left most lanes reserved for buses and motorcycles as well as causing a lot of distress for respectful and law abiding motorists that queue accordingly for hours.
Singaporean Working in Iskandar
TRS reader