JOHOR BARU: The usually congested Causeway is now deserted with not a single vehicle in sight today, the first day the movement restriction order (MCO) goes into effect in the country.
The bridge linking Johor Baru and Woodlands in Singapore is now completely void of traffic as the MCO prohibit the movement of Malaysians and foreigners in and out of the country.
At 10am this morning, not a single vehicle was spotted crossing along the bridge, where usually one would see hour-long jams as people commute to and from work and school.
A similar situation unfolded at the Second Link as a blockade before the Tanjung Kupang Toll has been set up to only allow lorries delivering goods to enter.
Just 10 hours earlier, the traffic at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Compex was in a gridlock as many tried to beat the midnight deadline when Malaysia closed its borders with Singapore.
Many motorists and motorcyclists, who were turned back, expressed their frustration with the long traffic jams.
Malaysia has imposed cross-border restrictions on commuters beginning today until the end of the month.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the state hopes to reopen the border with Singapore within the next few days.
It would be done with more stringent health checks on both sides of the border, he said.
“We are coming up with a mitigation plan during this Covid-19 outbreak.
“Among the categories exempted are those with work passes by Malaysia or Singapore, students studying in Singapore, those with specialised skills, businessmen, those involved in logistics and others that would be announced soon, ” he added.
A Federal Government Gazette states that those who do not abide by the directives under the MCO can be fined not more than RM1,000 or jailed for not more than six months or both.
The Gazette, dated March 18, titled “Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the infected local areas) Regulations 2020”, with the authority of the Health Minister Datuk Dr Adham Baba, also stated that if the offence was by a body or a company, the director, manager, secretary or anyone in such a capacity could be charged together or as a separate entity.
