The Malaysian Insight

TOUR guides have come forward to share their experience with angry visitors, following the deputy tourism minister’s admission that congestion at the Johor Baru checkpoint is among the reasons for the drop in arrivals from Singapore.

The long wait to clear immigration often leaves tourists uncomfortable and guides frustrated, especially in the March-April peak period, they said.

Tour guide Koh Cher Hao said it has become “a job requirement” for them to immediately apologise to their clients upon clearing immigration.

“Customs clearance takes about five to six hours. Our guests are usually irked.”

This has led to guides becoming “punching bags” for impatient tourists, whose frustrations are amplified by hunger and the need to use the restroom.

“Guests have challenged us (guides) on what kind of country Malaysia is. They say things like, ‘Malaysia is not as good as South Africa’, and that they have come to a Third World country,” said Koh.

He said even during peak season, the Johor Baru checkpoint would have just three or four counters open.

When Koh handles a group from Singapore, he would leave Kuala Lumpur at 6am to arrive at the Johor Baru checkpoint by 11am, to ensure he clears immigration in time to pick up the group in the republic at 2pm.

There are groups that have had to wait until 11pm to clear the checkpoint, he said.

“We can understand why guests get angry.”

He said the authorities should try and understand what travel agencies go through to sell Malaysia as a tourism destination.

“Politicians should stop criticising us as being unprofessional and saying we need to be trained.”

Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik last week said tourist arrivals from Singapore fell almost two million last year, and cited congestion at the Johor Baru checkpoint as a reason.

Last year, 10.2 million arrivals were recorded at the border crossing, compared with 2017’s 12 million.

Tour guide Paul Yap said the authorities should do more to improve the country’s image in the eyes of visitors rather than leaving the job to guides.

At the very least, the authorities should invest in better, cleaner restrooms at checkpoints, he said.

“Checkpoints are congested because of the large number of tourists. This is also why tourists often need to use the restroom.

“Why can’t the government maintain the level of hygiene and service? Are they short on budget?”

Another guide, Lim Lai Leong, concurred.

“Public restrooms reflect the country’s image. Dirty toilets are off-putting to visitors.”

Given the long wait to clear immigration, tour guides have to pack lunches for their groups, and this has resulted in roadsides being littered with food packaging.

“Tour guides have so many problems when bringing groups into Malaysia. On top of that, we are criticised. We feel helpless,” said Lim.

Koh said the congestion problem can be resolved by expanding the Johor Baru checkpoint, adding that this would be better than building more bridges linking Malaysia to Singapore.

He said the Tuas checkpoint is unable to accommodate large tour buses, resulting in bad traffic leading to the Johor Baru checkpoint.

“We believe that the solution to the congestion issue is… through expansion. Why did the new government propose building another bridge instead of expanding the checkpoint?”

During Singapore’s school holiday last month, congestion was so bad that even the Second Link, built to help ease traffic between the city state and Johor, was choked with vehicles, causing an eight-hour jam. It was reported that a group of Chinese tourists sang and danced on the road to pass the time.

Johor Women Development and Tourism Committee chairman Liow Cai Tung said among the state’s solutions are a special task force created to resolve these issues and arranging for People’s Volunteer Corps personnel to control traffic.

Menteri Besar Osman Sapian has said the state government will meet the Finance and Works Ministries, and Prime Minister’s Office to discuss plans to curb congestion at the Johor Baru checkpoint and on Causeway. – April 7, 2019.