The footbridge leading from Padang Besar Railway Station to the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQS) Building has been closed since 2020. The reopening date has been changed again and again. Netizens posted on the X platform Malayan Railway Corporation’s notification of the opening of the footbridge gate The photo of the date has been extended five times since October last year, and the latest announcement states that it will reopen on April 30 this year.
According to the online media World of Buzz, netizen maxzchua uploaded 5 notices on the X platform announcing the opening date. The first notice stated that the opening would be October 30, 2023, then extended to November 30 of the same year, and then December of the same year. 30th, and then changed to January 30th this year.
In the latest announcement, the opening date has been extended by three months, and it is expected to reopen on April 30.
This netizen had already asserted in his first post: “In order to safeguard the interests of the taxi monopoly market… I don’t think this flyover will be opened in a short time.” This post also received enthusiastic responses from some tourists, including One person criticized the locals for being forced to take a taxi from the train station to the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQS) building at the Malaysia-Thailand border when they had no other choice, and had to face the taxi driver’s arbitrary increase in fares.
Some netizens also left comments sarcastic to the authorities, saying that if they have no intention of reopening the footbridge, then they should simply build a wall to seal off the passage.
Some netizens also tagged Transport Minister Loke Siu-fu and asked him to take action on the matter. However, maxzchua clarified that the pedestrian bridge is not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, but the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The pedestrian bridge was closed due to the implementation of the movement control order due to the coronavirus epidemic and border security reasons. Former Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin visited Padang Besar on September 5, 2022 to discuss with the Road Asset Corporation (RAC) Later, it was agreed to open part of the lot of Multimodal Frieght Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia Railway Corporation, for pedestrian use. There is no need to pass through the ICQ area and access will be through another fence in Multimodal.
It was not until February 25 last year that Home Minister Saifuddin announced the contractor selection phase during his inspection tour, which is expected to take four months to complete.
On August 11 last year, the Bolzhou Executive Councilor told the media that the pedestrian bridge passage was 90% complete and expected to be opened in one month.
