KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has told off Cuepacs' secretary-general for only being an armchair warrior and not being on the ground to see problems at the Johor-Singapore Causeway personally.

In a Facebook posting, Akmal referred to issues faced by officers with Johor's Customs Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) raised by Cuepacs.

Cuepacs secretary-general Abdul Rahman Mohd Nordin had said that any complaints about officers there should not be posted on social media.

Instead, Akmal added, like the Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, they should hear directly from the people on the ground.

"That is why it's important for a leader to go down to listen and see for himself what the people's complaints are.

"Not just making a statement on a soft chair in an air-conditioned room.

"Because what is on a paper is often not the same as what actually occurs," he added.

He said that the people of Johor were well aware of the MB's commitment to resolve issues there and the MB had observed the condition himself.

"The residents of Johor are well aware of the MB's firm determination to come down at any time to observe the conditions. The MB has done so numerous times, yet the issue has persisted," he added.

Kota Iskandar Assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad said the complaint posted by the MB was accurate as he had accompanied the MB.

"How will the public learn about the real issues if we don't post about them on social media? We now have everything at our fingertips.

"People frequently complain to us and leave comments. Some people text us on social media, and some call us.

"As leaders, we can't just stay silent," he said.

Onn Hafiz, in a post on Facebook last Monday, expressed his dissatisfaction with the closure of 13 counters at the Johor Causeway's car lane, which caused traffic congestion the day before.

"We are all working to facilitate the affairs of the people, not to cause problems," said Akmal in a post on his social media account today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/1031942/akmal-chides-cuepacs-sec-gens-stance-johor-causeway-jam