Exsim CIQ: Why Buyers Call Causewayz Square “the Exsim CIQ Project”

Search for new launches near the Johor–Singapore Causeway and you will quickly meet the phrase “Exsim CIQ”. It appears in listing titles, chat groups and forum threads, often without any explanation. For a buyer comparing projects, that can be confusing: is Exsim CIQ a separate development, a tower, or a marketing name? This guide explains exactly what the Exsim CIQ nickname refers to, why buyers adopted it, what “CIQ” means on the ground in Johor Bahru, and how to make sure you are looking at the right project when you compare prices and floor plans. For the full project overview, see our Causewayz Square project page.

What is “Exsim CIQ”?

Exsim CIQ is simply another name for Causewayz Square @ JBCC — EXSIM’s project next to the Johor Bahru CIQ. It is not a separate development or an extra tower.

The official project name is Causewayz Square @ JBCC (JBCC stands for Johor Bahru City Centre). The developing company named in Bursa Malaysia contract announcements is Exsim Lumba Kuda Sdn Bhd, part of the EXSIM group. Buyers shortened all of this to two words that describe the project perfectly: who builds it and what it is next to.

Here is how the names line up:

Why do buyers call Causewayz Square “Exsim CIQ”?

Because in Johor Bahru, “CIQ” is the most instantly understood location tag there is, and the project sits right beside it.

When a JB project is near the checkpoint, the market tends to describe it by that proximity. It is the same naming habit you see in established projects such as Paragon Suites @ CIQ, and in everyday phrases like “condo near CIQ” or “walk to CIQ”. Three things made the nickname stick for Causewayz Square in particular:

1. It is short and searchable. “Exsim CIQ” is two words that anyone in Singapore or Johor can type, compared with the full official name and its unusual spelling.
2. It describes the selling point. The project is about 600 m from the CIQ complex (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar), so the nickname tells buyers the key fact in the name itself.
3. It separates EXSIM’s two JB locations. EXSIM also builds in Kebun Teh, about a 10-minute drive from the CIQ. “Exsim CIQ” versus “Exsim Kebun Teh” is a quick way to say which one you mean.

The spelling helps explain it too. EXSIM names many projects with a signature “z” — The Treez, The Leafz, The Petalz, Millerz Square, Ceylonz Suites — so “Causewayz” is often typed as “Causeway Square”. A nickname that avoids the spelling question altogether was always going to spread.

What does CIQ mean in Johor Bahru?

CIQ stands for Customs, Immigration and Quarantine. In JB it refers to the Sultan Iskandar Building (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, or BSI), the checkpoint at the northern end of the Causeway.

The BSI complex began operating in 2008, replacing the older Johor Bahru checkpoint. It is one of the two land crossings between Malaysia and Singapore, and it is linked by footbridge to JB Sentral, the city’s main railway station. Cars, motorcycles, buses and pedestrians clear Malaysian checks here before crossing the Causeway to Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint.

Why does proximity to it matter? Because cross-border traffic is enormous. Singapore’s checkpoints handled a record of about 245 million traveller movements in 2025, with around three-quarters going through the land checkpoints with Malaysia. A large share of the people making that daily journey want to live where the border is a walk, not a drive.

CIQ and the RTS Link

“CIQ” now means more than the road checkpoint. The Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link has its own co-located CIQ facilities at both ends, so passengers clear Malaysian and Singapore immigration once, at the departure station, before boarding. The Malaysian terminus, Bukit Chagar station, is about 800 m from Causewayz Square and is linked by a roughly 400 m walkway to JB Sentral. Passenger service is targeted for February 2027, according to the joint LTA–MOT release of October 2026. Our RTS Link opening date guide tracks the timeline.

Where exactly is the Exsim CIQ project?

The Exsim CIQ project — Causewayz Square — is on Jalan Lumba Kuda, Tanjung Puteri, 80300 Johor Bahru, on the Bukit Chagar side of JB City Centre.

The developer has proposed a pedestrian link bridge from the project towards the CIQ and RTS area; it is a proposal, not a confirmed or built structure, so plan on the street-level walk for now. A dedicated guide covers the walking route in detail — this article focuses on the name.

What makes the Exsim CIQ project stand out?

Beyond the nickname, Causewayz Square combines a walk-to-border location with freehold tenure, a large facility deck and a choice of layouts across four towers.

• Freehold commercial land of about 7.7 acres, with units sold as serviced apartments under strata title. Our Causewayz Square freehold guide explains what that means.
• Four towers, 4,525 units, rising up to 63 storeys: Axis (908 units), Brixton (1,257), Coven (833, not yet released) and Dover (1,527).
• Layouts from studios to 850 sq ft 3-bedroom dual-key units, with dual-key options in both Axis and the Brixton/Dover towers.
• 29 podium facilities on Level 12, including the Infinity Seaside pool, plus sky decks on top of each tower, such as the Wavescape Infinity Pool on Axis Level 60.
• A retail podium of about 90,000 sq ft.
• Construction under way: piling started on 2 September 2025, and a RM1.2 billion main building and infrastructure contract was awarded to Binastra in January 2026, with a 34-month construction period across five phases. Target completion is around 2030.

For layout-by-layout detail, see our Causewayz Square unit types guide.

Who is EXSIM?

EXSIM is a Malaysian developer founded in 2008 by the Lim brothers, known for design-led high-rises in the Klang Valley and Penang and for its “z” naming style.

Its track record includes The Treez and Twin Arkz in Bukit Jalil, The Leafz, The Petalz, Millerz Square, Ceylonz Suites and 22 Macalisterz in Penang. The group has received six FIABCI Malaysia awards and a FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence in 2023 for residential high-rise, and its hospitality arm, Exsim Hospitality Bhd, is listed on Bursa Malaysia. In Johor, Causewayz Square is its city-centre project, while The Asteriaz was its first Johor launch. Read more in our EXSIM JB overview.

Exsim CIQ vs Exsim Kebun Teh: don’t mix them up

EXSIM has two JB locations, and the nickname is the easiest way to tell them apart: Exsim CIQ is in the city centre, Exsim Kebun Teh is in the suburbs near KSL City.

Both have their own appeal. If walking to the RTS matters most, the Exsim CIQ project is the one to look at; if you prefer a quieter neighbourhood with a mall next door, explore The Asteriaz and our Asteriaz vs Celestz comparison.

Common Exsim CIQ searches, answered

Most “Exsim CIQ” searches fall into a handful of questions, and each has a short answer and a place to read more.

• “Exsim CIQ price” — developer prices vary by tower, floor and layout, and published figures differ between sources, so we do not quote them. WhatsApp us for the latest SPA price list. Our Causewayz Square buyer’s guide explains what drives pricing.
• “Exsim CIQ completion date” — the target is around 2030, with construction delivered in five phases under the main contract awarded in January 2026.
• “Exsim CIQ review” — the strongest points buyers raise are the walk-to-border location, freehold tenure and the facility deck; compare it with completed neighbours in our project comparison hub.
• “Exsim CIQ floor plan” — Axis carries the studio and 592 sq ft dual-key layouts; Brixton and Dover carry 474 sq ft 1-bedrooms up to 850 sq ft 3-bedroom dual-keys.
• “Exsim CIQ rental” — the project is not completed, so there are no rental listings yet; completed projects near the RTS give the best guide to cross-border tenant demand.
• “Exsim CIQ RTS” — the RTS Link Bukit Chagar station is about 800 m away, and passenger service is targeted for February 2027.

Because the nickname is informal, you will also see it attached to general posts about the CIQ area. When a listing or post says “Exsim CIQ”, check that it names Causewayz Square and one of its four towers.

How to search for Exsim CIQ listings and prices

Use several names when you search, and always check the official project name and tower on the listing or SPA.

• Search all variants: “Causewayz Square”, “Causeway Square JBCC” and “Exsim CIQ” can each surface different listings.
• Check the tower name: Axis, Brixton, Coven or Dover, since layouts and facilities differ by tower.
• Separate new-launch and assignment listings: portal listings are asking prices from existing buyers, not developer prices. In June 2026, PropertyGuru assignment listings for the project ranged from about RM518,000 to RM1.2 million.
• Confirm the developer name on the SPA — the EXSIM developing company and the Jalan Lumba Kuda site.

For developer pricing by tower and layout, WhatsApp us for the latest SPA price list. Market data for the area is on our JB condo prices and rent page.

Sources

• The Edge Malaysia — Binastra bags RM1.2 bil contract for Exsim’s JB Causewayz Square
• EdgeProp — Binastra bags RM132m piling job in Johor Bahru
• Sultan Iskandar Building (JB CIQ) — overview
• SCMP — Cross-border trips push Singapore checkpoint traffic to record high in 2025
• Malay Mail — Woodlands North RTS station completed, co-located CIQ
• LTA — RTS Link passenger service targeted for February 2027
• PropertyGuru — Causewayz Square @ JBCC listings

This guide is general information, not financial advice.