Bruneians are taking advantage of the long weekend due to two public holidays – the Israk Mikraj celebration yesterday and Chinese New Year tomorrow – to cross the border to neighbouring Malaysian cities of Miri and Kota Kinabalu.
Long queues were seen at Sungai Tujoh and Labu control posts yesterday, which according to frequent border hopper Haji Abdul Rahim, who was travelling to Kota Kinabalu, it took him three hours to get through the Labu Control Post in Temburong District and another three hours to pass the Sindumin-Merapok Control Post in Sabah.
“Usually, we arrive in Kota Kinabalu in four and a half hours from Bangar, Temburong. But today, we only reached the popular shopping centre in Kota Kinabalu at 4pm, despite departing from the Sultanate at 6am,” he said.
Similar queues were seen at the Sungai Tujoh Control Post with people flocking to Miri amid the favourable exchange rate to visit new shopping outlets and restaurants on a tight budget.
Local Sahnah said she spent nearly five hours in a nine-kilometre queue just to cross the border. – Azlan Othman
