THE Transport Ministry has approved temporary vehicle licences to increase the frequency of shuttle bus trips between Malaysia and Singapore during the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections on Saturday.

Its minister Anthony Loke said the initiative was taken to reduce congestion at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at Sultan Iskandar Building in Kluang and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Iskandar Puteri after the school holidays in Singapore.

“More than 10 buses will (ply) the Singapore-Johor Bahru (route). We also received applications from bus companies to increase the number of trips and they have been given temporary operating licences, granted through (the Land Public Transport Agency),” he said.

Loke said this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the construction of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail today.

He advised Pulai and Simpang Jeram voters working in Singapore to use public transport and the additional bus services provided.

Saturday’s Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections will see three-cornered contests between Perikatan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional and Independent candidates.

When asked to comment on Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s “advice” that Loke should not be worried about Ahmad Zahid Hamidi becoming a liability to the unity government ahead of the polls, Loke said differences in opinion did not mean there was infighting.

Loke, who is also DAP secretary-general, declined to comment further, saying the most important thing was cooperation between state and federal governments, and that the focus was now on logistics development planning in Johor, including construction of the Rapid Transit System. – Bernama, September 7, 2023.