The historic moment of the Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) project becoming symbolically “connected” between Malaysia and Singapore, was witnessed by Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Singaporean counterpart Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
It entails finishing the span, which serves as Johor Bahru and Singapore’s meeting point for the marine viaduct project.
Having their first meeting on the project site, the two leaders’ commitment to the multi-billion ringgit project has been strengthened.
Anwar and Lee also signed a plaque during the ceremony, signifying their shared commitment to seeing the project through to completion. By 31st December 2023, the project had advanced to a 65% completion rate, as planned.
Also present at the ceremony were Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapore Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat, as well as Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
With two stations — one at Bukit Chagar here and one at Woodlands North, Singapore; the RTS Link project is a roughly a four-kilometer commuter train network.
The RTS line is expected to be completed in December 2026 and will offer a convenient and comfortable means of transportation between Singapore and Johor Bahru. In Prime Minister Anwar’s Facebook statement, the RTS line is expected to reduce traffic on the Johor causeway by at least 35%, with an estimated 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, and the trip between the two stations takes approximately five minutes.
It is anticipated that the RTS project and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone initiative, which are presently being discussed, will usher in a new era in the two nations’ bilateral relations.
