Prime Highlights
- Tuas Second Link’s three lanes in the direction of Malaysia will be closed from 5 am to 2 pm on July 23 for an emergency exercise across the border.
- Motorists are advised to use diversion points such as the Woodlands Checkpoint.
Key Fact
- The drill is a simulation of a chemical spill caused by a multi-vehicle collision carrying hazardous cargo.
- Traffic will be routed onto the other carriageway with real-time information via local radio.
Key Background
As part of a bid to pre-empt cross-border emergency scenarios, the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Malaysia Department of Environment (DOE) will have a joint chemical spill training session on July 23. The exercise will be conducted along the Tuas Second Link, which is one of the key land border crossings between the two nations. This combined exercise comes under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) program for establishing preparedness and response capabilities in the case of hazardous materials incidents. The exercise drill will consist of simulation of an accident with multiple vehicles where trucks carrying contaminated toxic chemicals have crashed into each other.
The drill is designed to test both countries’ coordinated responses in addition to the efficacy of inter-agency communication in a high-threat scenario. The three lanes to Malaysia on Tuas Second Link will be shut periodically between 5 am and 2 pm for the purpose of the exercise. In order to divert traffic during that period, drivers will be directed onto the Singapore-bound carriageway. Traffic marshals will be utilized to channel motorists efficiently and safely. The authorities advise commuters who travel to Malaysia throughout the period to make advance reservations and utilize the Woodlands Checkpoint as an entry point. Members of the public are requested to heed on-ground directions and tune into local radio for live traffic information to enable them to travel smoothly during the period of the exercise. The objective is to alleviate congestion and assure public safety throughout the drill.
This is a hypothetical exercise, but it says much about the two nations’ love for environmental security and disaster management. Other than strengthening the bilateral relationship, this exercise also reassures the public that there are strong mechanisms to control chemicalause incidents. These exercises are a show of commitment between the two nations in having a secure and responsive transportation link between Malaysia and Singapore.
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