Rapid Transit System

Rapid Transit System

JOHOR BARU: Talks between Malaysia and Singapore on the proposed Malaysia-Singapore Rapid Transit System RTS link are still ongoing.

Iskandar Region Transportation Corp chairman Datuk Abdul Latiff Bandi said a joint-announcement on the project would be made once both parties had agreed to it.

“This issue is the prerogative of the two governments, and we at the state level will give our full cooperation to the rapid transit system project,” he said after attending the Johor Bahru Federation of Registered Taxi Association’s fifth AGM yesterday.

He said the state government had identified the location of the rapid transit system linking Johor Bahru and Singapore but declined to give the exact location of the station here.

Abdul Latiff, who is also in charge of the Housing and Local Government executive committee, said it would be premature for the state government to announce the location, as it would be made by the Federal Government. “There is a one-year time frame to study the rapid transit system  project, and whatever decision made by Malaysia and Singapore would benefit both countries,” he said.

Abdul Latiff said Johor, and in particular Iskandar Malaysia, would benefit from the rapid transit system project, as the link would improve accessibility and connectivity between the island-state Singapore and Johor Bahru. Meanwhile, IRDA chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said that Malaysia and Singapore had a one-year time frame to make an announcement on the project.

The one-year time frame is from December 2012 to November 2013.

The rapid transit system is targeted to be up and operating by 2018 with a co-located facility in Singapore and Johor Bahru so that commuters need to clear immigration only once for each way of travel.

Rapid Transit System

Source: The Star on 19 June 2013