Johor cops identify 41 hotspots to monitor when border reopens

JOHOR BAHRU: A total of 41 'hotspots' in Johor identified as areas that could cause traffic congestion following the opening of the country's borders this Friday will be monitored and controlled by the police.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the focus areas, which covers all 10 districts, included shopping malls, supermarkets, bus stations and recreational areas.

"Most of the hotspots are in the Johor Bahru district, which involves 10 areas such as shopping malls, flea markets and bus stations.

"In Kota Tinggi district the focus area is a resort area, Tangkak where people buy fabrics and Mersing in the jetty area which is likely to cause traffic congestion because people are expected to go there," he said at a press conference after the Johor Police Contingent 2022 National Hero Service Medal Award ceremony here today.

He said this when asked to comment on the hot spots in the state identified by the police following the reopening of the country's border on April 1.

Kamarul Zaman said a total of 1,600 officers and members were assigned to control security and traffic in the state in the first week of the border reopening, including at the Sultan Iskandar Building and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex.

"The assignment of all officers and members is to ensure the safety of tourists including locals who will enter and leave the country because there may be pickpockets and so on," he said.

Meanwhile, he said the three 'Op Benteng' roadblocks, namely two in the Kota Tinggi district and one in Iskandar Puteri which was mounted two years ago, would continue to operate.

Earlier, a total of 348 senior police officers, junior police officers, retirees and emergency personnel received awards in the awards ceremony.

-- BERNAMA