New JB CIQ (Custom, Immigration, Quarantine) Building & JB Central

Didn't go over to Johor Bahru (JB) for a long time. Today, finally made a trip over, just to relax a bit from Singapore's stressful life.

To describe he new JB CIQ is one word: Grand! Comparing with the old CIQ building, that small little building where visitors had to squeeze like sardins, with no air-conditioning, and you felt like suffocating in it. The number of counters? You can count all of them with your 10 fingers. The new building has ample space, fully air-conditioned, and plenty of counters. In the old CIQ building, it took at least 20 mins, but normally 45 mins for a Singapore passport holder to get through; at the new CIQ building, it takes less than 10 mins to get through. The new building looks modern, and artistic. I like the new CIQ building, a thumbs up for the Malaysian government.

But then it is not all praises, the building is grand, but the road leading to the building is a bit too narrow. Only two lanes! And the road has sharp turns. Look at that U-turn.

Connected to the new CIQ building is the new JB Central, which is still not in operation yet. It is all built up and I suppose in the process of furbishing the internal. Looking forward to the opening of JB Central, hopefully with new train services between Singapore and JB and the rest of Malaysia.

With the opening of the new CIQ, there is a drastic change of traffic pattern in JB. Cars and visitors don't have to pass by Merlin Tower, City Square any more. And the once most popular petrol station in JB now has little business. See the line of petrol pumps but no cars insight? Those pumps may have come to an end of their life. It is time for them to retire.