JB VEP: JB state govt gila?

JB state govt officials,who asserted that Singaporean motorists would still flock to JB despite the steep toll increases, puzzled me. Either they are out of touch or whistling in the dark.

Friends who used to be JB regulars have refused to be held ransom by the tolls of both Singapore and Malaysia. They have been boycotting JB. The volume of traffic both outbound and inbound has plunged dramatically.

This being
the school holiday season the Causeway should be choked with bumper to bumper traffic. The truth is except for the morning inbound and evening outbound traffic, cross border traffic is very light. In fact, it’s deserted at times. Deserted enough for a distressed airplane to land.

So when I read a week ago about JB’s plan to impose a fee of about RM $50 on Singapore vehicles very soon, my immediate reaction was Is JB state government mad?

It’s their right to impose any  amount of fee as they see fit. But what are they thinking?

Clearly when $$$$$ signs beckon, all rationality flies through the window. When elsewhere in the world, cross border trade and tourism flourish with few restrictions, Singapore and Malaysia area are moving in the opposite direction.

Perhaps, Malaysia has learnt from Singapore the fine art of squeezing money from motorists. An art the Singapore government has honed to perfection.

One can imagine PM Najib whispering to PM Lee, “Singapore bolih, Malaysia pun bolih. Haha”.

A JB regular said, “With cheap air fares on budget airlines, why confine your travel only to Malaysia?