Launch of VTL-Land: It's all systems go for Larkin Terminal

JOHOR BAHRU: The management of the Larkin Sentral Bus and Public Transport Terminal has carried out thorough preparation to accept travellers using the land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL-Land) starting tomorrow.

Larkin Sentral building manager Mohd Helmi Mohd Affendi said this was to ensure that the departure of VTL-Land travellers from Malaysia, involving 1,440 people with 32 trips daily, would run smoothly.

He said the first bus would leave from the terminal to Queen Street Singapore tomorrow at 7.30 am while the first bus from Singapore was expected to arrive at the terminal at 9.20 am.

"Each bus will arrive at intervals of between 15 and 30 minutes and the last bus (from here to the republic) is at 8.30 pm while the last bus from Singapore is at 9.30 pm.

"I have been informed that Singapore to Malaysia bus tickets have been sold out but tickets from here for the first week are still available, probably because not many Singaporeans are stranded here. We expect the second and third weeks to see more passengers because Malaysians will be going back to the republic," he told reporters after surveying the last-minute preparations at the terminal here today.

He explained that all travellers would be placed at the waiting area near entrances three and four of the terminal, which can accommodate up to 90 passengers, and that each bus would be able to seat 45 passengers.

Mohd Helmi also advised all passengers to be at the terminal at least one hour before their departure time and ensure all their documents are completed.

"On the day of departure, the bus company will check their vaccinated travel pass (VTP) to see if they are valid or not, as well as the results of the COVID-19 test done two days prior to departure and other documents," he said.

Meanwhile, he said travellers taking the bus from Queen Street Singapore and arriving at the Larkin terminal would also undergo the COVID-19 on arrival test (OAT) stipulated by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

"If the result is negative, they can exit the terminal. If not, the MOH will take further action," he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri and his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, are expected to launch the VTL-Land tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA