KLUANG, Sept 7 — The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has approved temporary vehicle licences to increase the number of shuttle bus trips between Malaysia and Singapore during the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections this Saturday.

Its minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the initiative was taken to reduce congestion at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) here and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri following the school holiday season in Singapore.

"More than 10 buses will operate from Singapore to Johor Baru. We also received applications from bus companies to increase the number of trips and they have been given a temporary operating licence which was granted through APAD (the Land Public Transport Agency),” he said.

Loke said this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the construction of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, here today.

As such, he advised Pulai and Simpang Jeram voters working in Singapore who want to return to vote in the by-elections to use public transport and the additional bus services provided.

The by-election in Simpang Jeram and Pulai will witness a three-cornered contest between PN, BN-PH, and an independent candidate, with PH candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman facing competition from PAS Central Committee Member Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya of PN and independent candidate S. Jeganathan.

The Election Commission (EC) has set the by-election for both seats to be held simultaneously this Saturday.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s "advice” that he should not be worried about Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi becoming a liability to the unity government ahead of the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections, Loke said differences in opinion did not mean that they were having a fight.

Loke, who is also the DAP secretary general, declined to comment further, saying that the most important thing is that the cooperation between the state and federal governments is going well and that the focus now is on logistics development planning in Johor, including the construction of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project.

"It’s normal to have differences of opinion in politics...it’s not a problem, we don’t get into fights. The important thing is that the relationship between the federal and state governments is good.

"Many projects are being implemented in Johor, including the Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double Track project, RTS Link, and the Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP),” he said. — Bernama