The much awaited new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bukit Chagar will be officially opened tomorrow.

The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail, is expected to grace the opening ceremony which is also to be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Named the Sultan Iskandar Complex, it will house 18 government agencies and be able to handle 70 million visitors entering the country from Singapore annually.

Dubbed an intelligent building, the complex has 76 lanes for cars, which are divided equally to enter and exit the country.

There are 50 lanes in and 50 lanes out for motorcycles, 879 parking bays for cars and 25 for buses.
The payment rates are expected to be the same as the rates charged at the present complex and only Touch n Go cards are allowed to be used for payment.

There are multi-lingual touch screen information display panels to assist visitors entering Johor.

The first floor of the complex will handle clearance for cars and motorcycles while the second floor is for those who travel in buses.

Construction of the CIQ began in 2001 and was scheduled to be completed in 2006.

It was, however, delayed due to the cancellation of the Scenic Bridge project and the construction of the short-term access road linking the causeway and the complex. — BERNAMA