KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has proposed that Malaysia and Singapore should build additional land crossings. He pointed out that the current two crossings are not enough for managing the high volume of daily commuters between both countries.
“I think it’s inconceivable that since 1965, when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia, there have been only two physical crossings between the two countries,” he said. Free Malaysia Today reported that, speaking at the SIDC Business Foresight Forum 2024, Mr Khairy argued that “there should be four or five” instead of just the current two crossings.
Pre-pandemic figures show that over 450,000 people crossed the Malaysia-Singapore border daily, relying on the Causeway and the Second Link. The former Umno Youth leader also suggested a passport-free soft border policy to ease customs at one of the world’s busiest borders. Soft borders are less regulated, with minimal customs and immigration checks to facilitate easier movement of people, goods, and services
“These are low-hanging fruits. It (the opportunity) wasn’t taken in the past for political reasons but it should be seized now,” he remarked. According to him, businesses in both countries are looking for these changes. “This is what the Johor-Singapore special economic zone is about,” he added.
He also noted that the ASEAN Business Advisory Council should focus on creating a regional supply chain to link businesses across the region. He stressed the need to improve digital, infrastructure, and energy networks, along with travel connections, to facilitate a seamless flow of people and capital.
He proposed that major decisions related to connectivity should not require the agreement of all member states. Instead, a core group of key ASEAN countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, should be able to make significant decisions independently.
He said, “This way, you will see the changes faster,” adding that otherwise, implementing connectivity policies would take much longer. /TISG