Malaysia will discuss in detail with Singapore the proposal to introduce a single inspection centre on the Johor-Singapore Causeway, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid said he would have a meeting with Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean to discuss in detail the proposal on the single Customs and Immigration Inspection Centre.

“They (Singapore) must form an action body as carried out by Malaysia… I have not met with the Singapore deputy prime minister, because he is in the same position as I am, and we will discuss the matter in detail.

"Maybe the question of interpretation is different and this needs articulation from both parties between Malaysia and Singapore,” he said at a media conference after launching the project to rebuild the Yong Peng-Segamat federal road in Tenang, Segamat here today.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin, Deputy Works Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin and Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Chua Tee Yong, who is also Labis MP.

Yesterday, the media reported that the Singaporean Ministry of Home Affairs rejected the proposal to introduce the single Immigration and Customs checkpoint at the Johor-Singapore Causeway.

Zahid said if the proposal could be implemented, the single checkpoint would play an important role in enabling a smooth flow of traffic and overcome the problem of congestion occurring at the Johor Causeway.

However, he said Malaysia should respect the security aspects feared by Singapore, but did not foresee any problem for the suggestion to be implemented.

 "We know that there is a bottleneck at the Johor causeway and I have discussed with the Johor menteri besar for the state government as well as the federal government to tackle the issue together,” he said.

Zahid said that he had personally chaired the action body to tackle the congestion at the Johor-Singapore Causeway, and it was expected that RM100 million would be spent to upgrade the existing route to overcome the bottleneck.

"We have agreed in principle that the cost would be shared together with the state government bearing 50 percent while the other 50 percent would be borne by the federal government,” he added.

- Bernama