(Seria, 27th) In conjunction with consecutive public holidays and the end-of-month payday for office workers, Bruneian residents have been flocking to neighboring Malaysia for tourism, shopping, and visiting relatives, resulting in severe vehicle queues at several land checkpoints from early this morning and causing significant delays in clearance times.
It is understood that Malaysia’s Sungai Tujoh and Kuala Lurah checkpoints saw a flood of outbound vehicles from early morning, with queues forming even before reaching the checkpoint and the lines stretching several kilometers at one point. Some members of the public reported waiting times of up to two to three hours.
A driver interviewed, who planned to go shopping in Miri, said: “I left home at six in the morning but still couldn’t avoid the crowds. Today happens to be payday and a holiday, so many people want to go shopping and buy daily necessities in Miri. That’s why there’s definitely a traffic jam at the checkpoint.”
Observed traffic flow during the holiday period was nearly three times that of regular days. Although extra personnel were deployed at the checkpoints, more counters were opened, and staff continued to direct traffic on site, it was still difficult to ease the congestion caused by the large number of people.
The relevant authorities had earlier reminded the public that public holidays and the end of the month are peak periods for cross-border travel, urging everyone to plan their trips reasonably, set out as early as possible, or choose off-peak periods to minimize the inconvenience caused by clearance delays.
It is understood that Malaysia’s Sungai Tujoh and Kuala Lurah checkpoints saw a flood of outbound vehicles from early morning, with queues forming even before reaching the checkpoint and the lines stretching several kilometers at one point. Some members of the public reported waiting times of up to two to three hours.
A driver interviewed, who planned to go shopping in Miri, said: “I left home at six in the morning but still couldn’t avoid the crowds. Today happens to be payday and a holiday, so many people want to go shopping and buy daily necessities in Miri. That’s why there’s definitely a traffic jam at the checkpoint.”
Observed traffic flow during the holiday period was nearly three times that of regular days. Although extra personnel were deployed at the checkpoints, more counters were opened, and staff continued to direct traffic on site, it was still difficult to ease the congestion caused by the large number of people.
The relevant authorities had earlier reminded the public that public holidays and the end of the month are peak periods for cross-border travel, urging everyone to plan their trips reasonably, set out as early as possible, or choose off-peak periods to minimize the inconvenience caused by clearance delays.