Heavy vehicles may be banned from Causeway

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said this would relieve the Causeway of congestion and improve traffic flow within Johor Baru since much of the traffic would be diverted through the use of the Second Link.

The move, he said, would also be a boon for the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) as hauliers would be persuaded to use the port instead of Singapore now.

"This is something we would like to happen," he said.

Last September, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had announced a ban on heavy vehicles on the Causeway to facilitate the construction of a bridge to the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex here.

He said at the time that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib had given the go-ahead for the plan.

However, this was opposed to by the Pan Malaysia Lorry Drivers’ Association, which argued that the government could not force hauliers to use the Second Link without giving an option.

Its president, Er Sui See, said the Second Link was not an attractive proposition because of the high toll and the extra 50km one had to travel from Johor Baru.

Lorries entering Singapore now pay RM22 in toll to get to Singapore, but via the Second Link, it will cost RM160.

Er had threatened to take the matter to court if lorry drivers were not given an option.

Singapore had also expressed reservations because of inadequate facilities at its checkpoint in Tuas to handle large volumes of heavy vehicles from Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Najib said the government planned to develop and position PTP as the one of the leading logistics hubs in the region.

He said the federal government was committed to supporting the growth of the port into a world-class entity.

"We are proud to have a port which can even handle the world’s largest container vessel like the Danish Maersk. We are impressed with the service, competitiveness and efficiency of PTP."

Najib said this to reporters after witnessing container ship Emma Maersk docking at PTP yesterday.

He said the fact that such a vessel was making PTP its regular port-of-call was proof that the Johor port had what it took to service international ocean-going vessels.

Najib said PTP’s plus point was its strategic location, adding that with the growth of the Iskandar Regional Development, PTP’s role would rise significantly in the near future.

PTP’s growth over the past five years has been phenomenal and the port is poised to do even better in the coming years due to rapid economic growth.

According to PTP chairman Datuk Mohamed Sidik, the location of PTP at the southern tip of the peninsular and at the confluence of the east and west trade lanes of Straits of Malacca was very strategic.

"I am confident that PTP will play a major role in contributing to the government’s vision of the Ninth Malaysia Plan by developing into the preferred port in this region."

He said PTP Free Trade Zone also offered attractive options for investors to build their own factories or lease ready-made factories.

"PTP also serves as a one-stop agency for investors to start up operations and interface with relevant government agencies such as the Customs, Immigration Department, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia Industrial Development Authority and others," he said.

To date, PTP has contributed more than RM13 billion in local and foreign investments to Johor. Of this, RM2 billion comprised direct foreign investments at the PTP Free Trade Zone.