KUCHING: All of the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complexes stretching along the borders of Brunei, Indonesia and Sarawak should be upgraded with newer facilities to compensate for the increase in visitors entering the state.
Minister for Transport Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said this when asked to comment on the prime minister’s announcement of a RM1 billion allocation for the upgrading of CIQs in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Recently, I visited the Biawak CIQ, and the facilities need to be upgraded, as the existing ones are far off compared to our neighbouring country.
“The same goes with the CIQs in Entikong, Tebedu, Sungai Tujoh, and others.
“All of this really needs the federal government’s attention,” he said at the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Chinese New Year open house at the party’s headquarters here today.
The Senadin assemblyman said the government has also suggested having bus services operate between Kuching and Singkawang, Indonesia.
With the increase of public and private vehicles, Lee noted that it is timely for a CIQ to be upgraded that can cater to the number of vehicles.
“I also visited the Sungai Tujoh CIQ and found that there are a lot of visitors from Miri and Brunei, who had to queue for hours as the CIQ’s facilities and counters are not enough.
“Even the officers assigned at the border are insufficient,” he said.
