It has been four years since I first proposed the building of a covered pedestrian path on the Causeway. Yet, no matter how many times I raised this issue in the Johor State Legislative Assembly, the state government will always reject the proposal with weak excuses.
Yesterday, the state government finally caught up and agreed to proposal. Datuk Hasni Mohammad, the EXCO in charge of Public works, Rural and Regional Development, who once told me that there is no more space on the Causeway to build a proper walkway, announced that government is now considering a covered pedestrian path. A 180 degree u-turn indeed; but one which I fully commend.
Here is a brief chronology of Pakatan’s proposal finally adopted by the state government yesterday:
On 5 August, 2014, at the peak of the first toll war between Malaysia and Singapore, I first proposed that the federal government install a walkalator on the 1.7km Causeway to ease the traffic and cost burden of Causeway users. (http://wongshuqi.my/?p=1008)
On 8 September 2014, I urged Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin to consider building a proper walkway along Causeway. In order to fund the project, I proposed that the state government demand at least 50% of the road charges collected by the federal government to be given to Johor to resolve our transport woes. (http://wongshuqi.my/?p=1066&lang=ms)
A month later, in October 2014, five lawmakers from DAP, namely Gan Peck Cheng (Penggaram), Andrew Chen Kah Eng (Stulang), Yeo Tung Siong (Pekan Nanas), Cheo Yee How (Pengkalan Rinting) and I (Senai) took a walk from Johor Bahru CIQ to Singapore Woodland custom checkpoint. We wanted to send a clear message to the BN government that their negligence caused hardship to many Malaysians. (http://www.enanyang.my/news/20141008/道路狭窄常吸废气-步行越堤-马劳好辛苦/)
In May 2015, the Johor opposition coalition formalised our transport proposal and submitted to Datuk Hasni. In the proposal, we once again emphasised the need to build a proper covered pedestrian path or even a walkalator on the Causeway. Yet, we did not receive any response from the state government. (http://wongshuqi.my/?p=2320&lang=ms)
In the following November, I raised the same proposal again when I debated the 2016 Johor Budget. After so many attempts, it was during this time that I finally received a response from the state government. Datuk Hasni, on behalf of the state government, rejected the proposal saying there is no more space on the Causeway to build a pedestrian path! (http://wongshuqi.my/?p=1544&lang=ms)
It was very frustrating that the Johor state government was unable to resolve the traffic problem on the Causeway and yet was reluctant to accept a workable proposal from the opposition. For me, not having proper pedestrian facilities on the Causeway is clearly due to the lack of political will. (http://wongshuqi.my/?p=1326)
This is related to the lives of more than 300,000 Malaysians who commute daily across the Strait. Hence I persisted in raising this issue in the state assembly through 2016. The media highlighted our points, and we relentlessly pursued the issue despite facing an arrogant state government who would not listen to our views.
On 17 April 2016, I raised the suggestion again for the third time in my speech in the state assembly.(http://wongshuqi.my/?p=1541&lang=ms)
Finally, on 7 September 2017, I asked the BN state government if they agree to upgrade the pedestrian facilities on the Causeway. The answer I received is as follows: (http://wongshuqi.my/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Soalan-Dewan-Negeri-Johor_extract_8.pdf)
Untuk Ahli Yang Berhormat, Jambatan Tambak Johor dibina oleh JKR sebelum diserahkan kepada PLUS untuk kerja penyelenggaraan. Pada peringkat awal, jambatan Tambak Johor ini direka bentuk lengkap dengan laluan pejalan kaki. Namun begitu, pada masa kini kemudahan pejalan kaki tidak disediakan di sepanjang Tambak Johor dan jalan penghubung dari atau ke Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI).
It was disappointing that instead of answering a question raised in the state assembly professionally, the state government chose to beat around the bushes and finally answered by not answering my question altogether.
As such, the latest announcement is a long overdue good news to all Malaysians who travelled daily and weekly between Johor Bahru and Singapore. It took the state government four years to finally do what we have asked them to do earlier. If only they were willing to listen to the plight of the people.
It is very clear that BN will act when election is approaching. Residents in Johor Bahru had witnessed how BN betrayed the people and broke their own promise by imposing EDL toll. Because the election is coming, BN politicians will try their very best to woo voters, especially the 300,000 Malaysians who are commuting everyday to Singapore, with all these election promises. We have told them four years ago to build a proper walkway, yet they refused to listen until now. Khaled Nordin’s government is just wasting the time and lives of Johoreans.