Khairy said the connectivity between both countries was an integral spine for Asean’s economic integrity, and the two crossings were insufficient to handle the large number of daily commuters.
“I think it’s inconceivable that since 1965, when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia, there have been only two physical crossings between the two countries.
“There should be four or five,” he said at the SIDC Business Foresight Forum 2024 at the Securities Commission’s headquarters here today.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported that more than 450,000 people cross the Malaysia-Singapore border daily, using both the Causeway and the Second Link.
Khairy, a former Umno Youth leader, also called for a passport-free soft border policy between the two nations, to allow for seamless customs clearance at the busiest border in the world.
Soft borders refer to borders that are less regulated, typically involving minimal customs and immigration checks, to allow for freer movement of people, goods and services.
“These are low-hanging fruits. It (the opportunity) wasn’t taken in the past for political reasons but it should be seized now. These are the things that businesses from both countries want to see. This is what the Johor-Singapore special economic zone is about,” he added.
Regional supply chain
Khairy also said the Asean Business Advisory Council should focus on building a regional supply chain to integrate regional players into a single network.
“We also have to sort out issues with digital, infrastructure, and energy connectivity. Besides travel connectivity, these three things are extremely crucial to create a region with a seamless movement of people and capital,” he said.
He also said policies aimed at enhancing regional connectivity should not require the consensus of all Asean members, in order to reduce delays caused by bureaucracy.
He said Asean should come up with a system that allows a core number of member countries to make major decisions relevant to them.
Khairy said nations that form the backbone of Asean, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, should be allowed to focus on improving connectivity without needing the agreement of newer members like Myanmar and Cambodia.
“This way, you will see the changes faster,” he said. “Otherwise, it will take a longer time to roll out policies related to connectivity.”