Thousands of cross-border commuters left stranded as Johor bus drivers strike

MALAYSIA: Thousands of cross-border commuters were left stranded and scrambling for alternatives after over 100 Johor bus drivers staged a sudden strike early Monday morning (Jul 21)

The strike, which began around 5 a.m., saw drivers refusing to operate buses from key terminals, including the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) in Johor Bahru. Many affected were Malaysians working in Singapore, who faced delays of several hours or resorted to walking across the 1.05-kilometre Causeway on foot to make it to work.

According to Malaysian Chinese news outlet 8TV, the strike was triggered by discontent over recent wage adjustments imposed by the bus companies.

One bus driver told the local press that the decision to strike came after months of frustration with what drivers described as an exploitative new pay structure. He said that the latest salary revision that came into effect two months ago led to incomes getting drastically reduced at a time when the cost of living has increased.

He claimed that drivers’ monthly wages, previously between RM2,800 and RM2,900 (S$848–S$879), had been slashed to under RM2,000 (S$606), a cut of more than 30%.

In addition to the wage reduction, drivers also pointed to increased workloads, including a bump in required daily shifts from four to five, as well as vague or unexplained salary deductions that have apparently been imposed without proper consultation.

The impact of the strike was felt immediately. Long queues formed as early as 6:30 a.m., with hundreds of commuters stranded at BSI. “When I arrived, I thought something was wrong — the bus platforms were overcrowded, and there were no buses moving,” said one regular commuter, “After waiting for almost 30 minutes, many of us decided to walk across the Causeway.”

The pedestrian lanes on the Causeway quickly filled with streams of commuters making their way into Singapore in the morning heat. Reports estimate that thousands were caught in the disruption, with congestion stretching from the upper floors of the immigration checkpoint all the way to the bus terminal below.

Johor State Legislative Assembly member Fazli Salleh, who chairs the state’s transport committee, arrived on site early in the morning in an attempt to mediate. He was seen speaking with bus company representatives and driver groups in a bid to resolve the impasse.

Some drivers resumed operations around 10 am as talks continued, easing the congestion slightly.