Johor’s Quiet Roads Amid the Pandemic
Once a hive of commuters, the causeway that cut through Johor Baru has now turned into a tranquil ghost town. The stark silence is a few‑minute reminder that over a couple of hundred thousand Malaysians have lost jobs back home or been forced to stay away from their families since the Covid‑19 wave hit 18 months ago.
Hope Keeps Its Tires Turning
Despite the quiet, there’s still a pulse of hope: the Johor state government is rolling out its own vaccination drive for all the locals who used to hop on a daily trip to Singapore.
- First Check‑in: On July 29, the first of at least 115,000 registered people got their jab. Yet only one in nine Johoreans were fully vaccinated at that point – the second slowest rate in the whole country.
- Two‑Month Rush: Fast forward to now, every single entry in the Immuplan database has been jabbed. That puts Johor in sixth‑last place nationwide for overall vaccinations, though half of its population is already inoculated.
- Road to 80%: “I believe it will continue until October, where we should be able to vaccinate our targeted 80 per cent of the population,” Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad told The Sunday Times last week.
While the causeway’s quiet still feels like an empty stage, the vaccination rollout is turning it back into a bustling boulevard of health and hope. And as more Johoreans get their slots, that once‑shouted “To Singapore!” line may just turn into a gentle “Good morning, everyone!”
Will the Johor–Singapore Border Get Back to Normal?
Singapore officials want the crossing back to life, but they’re using the same cautious vibe that keeps everybody from catching a second case—so expect the border to stay closed until the virus is under control and safety protocols are solid.
Johor’s “Let’s Move!” Push
Johor’s economy is built on people strolling in and out of its capital, Johor Baru. Before COVID, up to 500,000 folks crossed the Causeway every day — a massive traffic jam of commerce and coffee. Now, the state’s hungry for that traffic back.
- Half‑million crossings daily pre‑pandemic.
- Over 115,000 Malaysians still stuck in Singapore since the border shut 18 months ago.
- Large quarantine costs at around $3,000 (roughly two months’ wages) are keeping many from hopping back.
The Economic Toll
Without that foot‑traffic, Johor’s business scene has turned into a “no‑go” zone. 90 % of SMEs are flat‑lined, Fortune‑5 ailing, and retail hotspots in Johor Baru are eerily empty. The state’s GDP shrank by 4.6 % last year—far less than the nation’s 5.6 % dip thanks to a boom in palm oil, but still a rough ride.
Trade, lodging, and F&B sectors dipped by a staggering 9.1 %. According to analyst Serina Rahman, this slump is the worst since the 1987 crisis.
If We Open the Gate, What Could Happen?
Here’s the silver lining: Johor hopes the re‑opening could boost GDP by up to 7 % next year.
- Proposals for a Daily Commuting Arrangement (DCA) aim to mirror the successful Reciprocal Green Lane and PCA programs.
- The state also wants tourism “bubbles” inbound from Singapore, targeting Desaru. If Sung’s short‑term pilots (like Langkawi’s, with 10,000 arrivals) are any indication, it could revamp local tourism.
What the Chief Minister says
Datuk Hasni says the initiative will be driven by insights from the existing schemes. He’s optimistic that a steady flow of commuters would:
- Renew Singaporean spending in Johor Baru.
- Stabilise retail and hospitality sections that have been shuttered.
- Help Johor’s economy creep back to pre‑pandemic levels.
Entrepreneurs Embrace the Pandemic
While the crisis feels like a bad breakup for many businesses, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong points out that companies are urged to modernise. Governments are pushing tech adoption and skill upgrades—so the fallout might actually sharpen Johor’s competitive edge.
“Businesses should see the pandemic as an impetus to transform and better seize opportunities presented by the opening of overseas markets,” he says.
Bottom Line
As Johor basks in hope, the two‑way gate still needs a lot of work before we can huddle back for coffee across the Causeway. If safety protocols and quarantine costs are sorted, both sides could finally put an end to the pandemic‑era highway to business prosperity.
