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JOHOR BARU (THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Malaysian Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong has assured Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar that the Rapid Transit System (RTS) link between Johor Baru and Singapore will be completed within the stipulated term.
In a video presented during the virtual inauguration ceremony of the mega project and posted on his Facebook page on Sunday (November 22), Datuk Seri Wee said that the project would bring the maximum positive impact to the people of Johor.
“As a representative of the Ministry of Transportation, which is the supervisor of the project, I assure the government’s commitment to ensure that the project is carried out in an efficient and organized manner, while it is completed in the established time, which is to 2026, “he said.
He said the ministry hopes the project will bring a positive economic impact to industries such as tourism and real estate, especially in Johor.
In a separate Facebook post, Wee said the 4km RTS Link functions as a cost-effective transportation system that promises to boost connectivity.
He said it would also provide easy, fast and convenient access for people traveling across the Malaysia-Singapore border.
“This would also solve the traffic congestion problem that is faced at the entry points of both countries and that has been going on for years,” he said.
Once completed, the journey between Bukit Chagar Station in Johor and Woodlands North Station in Singapore will only take five minutes.
The RTS can transport up to 288,000 people per day.
Malaysia, through the Ministry of Transport, will disburse RM3.715 billion (S $ 1.22 billion) or 39% of the total cost of the 4 km link project, with the remainder being borne by Singapore.
Those traveling with the RTS Link would only have to go through immigration clearance once at the point of departure, either at Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru or Woodlands in Singapore.
Meanwhile, Johor residents are excited that the project has finally started, as many have been waiting for it for more than a decade.
48-year-old businessman S. Sures is happy to see the progress of the project.
“It will really help improve connectivity and allow Johor, especially its city Johor Baru, to benefit from the increased number of visitors to Singapore coming through the RTS.
“Most local businesses rely heavily on visitors to Singapore. RTS will definitely bring positive economic growth to the state, even for small businesses like mine,” said the owner of a store that sells clothing and textiles.
“Easy access to public transportation across the border will help the state recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will likely take us years to recover.
“If the project is completed on schedule, which is by 2026, it can help us rebuild the economy,” he said.
The restaurant’s owner, Tan Kim Hock, 58, anticipated that RTS Link would attract more customers from the island republic to his store, as well as make it easier for his family members to visit in Singapore.
“Congestion at Causeway and Second Link has been a big problem. I have occasionally canceled trips to Singapore due to traffic. I hope RTS Link can put an end to my travel problems,” he said.
Taxi driver Abdul Razak Abd Rahman, 57, said the RTS would help boost the tourism industry in Johor.
“I think it would not only bring positive impacts in Johor Baru, but also in other districts of the state, such as Mersing and Kota Tinggi, which are famous for their beaches and islands,” he said.
Primary school teacher Ngoi Fee Min, 38, said the RTS was highly anticipated as it meant that those who worked in Singapore could return home more frequently without having to spend hours in traffic on the Causeway.
She said her husband, a technical team manager, was traveling back and forth between Johor Baru and Singapore every day, but decided to stay in the island republic as he grew tired of the traffic jam.
“Hopefully with the RTS, my husband can come home and we can spend more time together as a family.
“Besides that, students studying in Singapore can also benefit from this as they don’t need to wake up at 3 am or 4 am just to avoid the traffic jam and travel through the Causeway,” said Ms Ngoi, parent of two children.
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