A 46-year-old Malaysian cyclist makes history with a quick and unique crossing.
SINGAPORE: The first person to cross the reopened Singapore-Malaysia Causeway from Singapore to Johor did so on a foldable bicycle, making for a distinctive moment in the landmark reopening of the land borders on April 1, 2022.
Ho Yang Guang, a 46-year-old Malaysian, rode his silver and lime green foldable bike across the Causeway at the stroke of midnight. He chose the compact bicycle for its speed, having previously experienced the Vaccinated Travel Lane (Land) during Chinese New Year 2022, where he found it to be faster than other forms of transport. Ho travelled light with just a small black backpack.
He was not alone in opting for this method of transport—two other individuals were also seen crossing with foldable bikes and an electric scooter.
The reopening of the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia on April 1 marked the end of a 745-day closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On the first day, over 11,000 travellers crossed through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, with immigration clearance running smoothly, and no significant queues were reported by 1am.
The reopening was celebrated with cheers from travellers and motorists on both sides of the border. At Johor’s customs, excited people rushed to immigration counters, while fireworks illuminated the night to mark the occasion. In Singapore, the sight of pedestrians crossing the Causeway was met with exuberant shouts of “Malaysia, boleh.”
