The Johor state chief minister is expected to propose his plans to the Malaysian government on how the country can fully reopen its land borders with Singapore and resume tax revenue.
Hasni Mohammad announced yesterday he will propose his plans in front of the Economic Action Council in Putrajaya next Monday. The plan is expected to help thousands more Malaysians who regularly commute between the two neighboring countries, he said, highlighting that Malaysia has lost considerable tax revenue as lesser people are allowed to cross.
“The Malaysia-Singapore border is one of the world’s busiest crossings. The tax collected on our side of the Causeway and Second Link contributes to 50 percent of the Customs Department revenue,” Hasni, 61, said. His Putrajaya meeting will take place Oct. 19.
“The closing of the border has directly impacted the lives of many who live in Johor Bahru and are unable to commute to Singapore daily for work or errands. Putrajaya must make a decision immediately as we cannot be in this position for much longer,” Hasni added. He was speaking at the Asia International Innovation Exhibition in Pulai Springs, Johor.
Around 300,000 Malaysians cross into Singapore regularly until the COVID-19 pandemic led to a lockdown in March. Earlier in August, Malaysia and Singapore allowed up to around 2,000 people to cross the border daily for business purposes but travelers have to go for COVID-19 tests and quarantine at dedicated centers for seven days.
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