JOHOR BARU: Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, was only articulating the feelings of the people when he called for the bridge project to replace the Causeway to be revived.

He said the bridge, straight or crooked, would undoubtedly benefit Johor.

"The bridge project allows more movement along the Johor Straits. Vessel owners will also be able to cut short their journey while travelling from the west to the east of the peninsula.

"Our relationship with Singapore is better now ... it is time to sort things out.

"On my part, I will wait for the decision from the Federal Government," he said after treating 40 children from an orphanage in Aceh to a high tea here yesterday.

On Saturday, the sultan had urged the Federal Government to build the bridge to replace the Causeway. He said the project was important and much awaited by the people.

The call was supported by the Pasir Gudang Umno division.

Division chief Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the call was a relief to the people as the project was what the people had wanted in the first place.

"We will forward the matter to the party headquarters," he said after launching the division delegates' meeting here yesterday.

He said the Causeway had to be replaced with a bridge to handle the increasing number of vehicles travelling between Malaysia and Singapore.