KUALA LUMPUR: The construction of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Johor Baru and Singapore is right on track for completion by Jan 1, 2027, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said works on the project’s infrastructure have reached 83% completion as of last month.
He said the completion of the rail infrastructure will enable the RTS Link operator, RTS Operations Systems Sdn Bhd, to install systems expected by the end of this year.
“System installation includes trackwork, rolling stock, signalling systems as well as power supply and distribution,” he said after witnessing an agreement signing between MRT Corporation and Coronade Properties here yesterday.
The sale and purchase agreement is for the acquisition of 781 parking bays at Coronation Square.
Loke also confirmed that there are no additional costs to the RM10bil project connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore.
Going well: Bangladeshi Monir Hossain, 43, catching fish at Stulang Laut in Johor Baru. Behind him is the ongoing RTS Link project between Johor Baru and Singapore. Works on the infrastructure have reached 83% completion as of last month. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
The construction of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Bukit Chagar is also progressing as scheduled, he added.
“Works on the building’s substructure are done while those on the superstructure is actively under way,” he said.
Loke said his ministry is currently reviewing a traffic dispersal plan for the Iskandar Malaysia region in collaboration with local authorities.
“This initiative will improve overall traffic conditions across Johor Baru city and its surrounding areas.”
The effort, he said, is not only aimed at managing the influx of visitors but also fostering economic growth and the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.
“The initiative includes the enhancement of land public transport, enabling direct connectivity to the CIQ Complex in Bukit Chagar and the Ibrahim International Business District,” he said.
On another matter, Loke said there is a need to tighten the rules on the operation of foreign aircraft in the country, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) currently investigating the Beechcraft Model 390, which crashed en route to Subang Airport from Langkawi on Aug 17 last year.
He said a report by the CAAM on the air crash that killed 10 people including road users is expected to be presented to the ministry by the year-end.
Last Friday, the Air Accident Investigation Bureau released its final report on the tragedy, which revealed that it was caused by the accidental extension of the lift dump spoilers by the two-man flight crew during a pre-landing routine.
