To enhance accessibility to and from Forest City, a number of transportation-related infrastructure projects are being created in the surrounding districts, according to a statement made this week by Country Garden, the largest private developer in China.
The LRT West Line and the KL-Singapore HSR are two of the projects, with plans to create stations in Forest City, according to Fang Fang, the company’s General Manager of Brand, Sales, and Marketing for Malaysia and Singapore.
In an interview with Singapore’s Straits Times, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar (now Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia) was cited as saying that he wanted the KL-Singapore HSR to be revived and realigned so that the border crossing is via Forest City.
The King said the rail project could be funded privately, with the government giving the contractor a 30-year lease to operate the line before taking over the project.
Seven consortiums have submitted concept proposals to develop the KL-Singapore HSR.
Business Times reported that three of the seven consortiums are led by Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun-controlled Berjaya Group, YTL Group, and China Railway.
In order to compete for the project, Berjaya Rail Sdn Bhd (BRail), a 70% subsidiary of Berjaya Land Bhd, is said to have partnered with IJM Construction Sdn Bhd, Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB), and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB).
The multi-billion ringgit KL Sentral, home of the Express Rail Link (ERL) station for the KLIA Ekspres as well as the KLIA Transit, KTM Komuter, LRT, and monorail, is master developed by MRCB.
Shopping centres, hotels, office towers, and serviced apartments are all part of the development.
Samuel Tan, Executive Director of KGV International, said that unlike the KL Sentral transport hub, which is a city model, the Forest City transport hub should be a touristy model with an emphasis on drawing tourists and attracting MICE activities that are able to draw in the appropriate audiences to visit, play, and shop on the island.
“We anticipate the hosting of many conventions in Forest City. Events, dining, and lodging will be more affordable thanks to the lower ringgit than in Singapore and the surrounding nations. An additional draw is the championship golf course.
As reported by Business Times, Tan shared that they expect the duty-free island status and the occupied service apartments will both benefit from the shopping mall’s ability to thrive once more, adding there should be a link from Forest City to the Second Link to make international travel to Singapore and Indonesia simple.
Furthermore, he said ferry services from Tuas or Sentosa Island should be made available.
“In a similar vein, ferry services ought to be linked to Indonesia’s numerous islands. This will result in the SIJORI model, which was proposed several decades ago, coming to pass. Better yet, domestic travel will be made easier if the ferries can hold cars,” he said.
Additionally, he said more international flights should be offered to Senai International Airport to draw people to Forest City.
In an effort to spur development, Forest City’s developers have pushed the government to locate a HSR station in the massive real estate project directly west of the Second Link crossing between Singapore and Malaysia.
Due to possible link between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, the HSR will play a significant role in increasing southbound human traffic, both from the population between Malaysia and Singapore and from outside visitors.
Johor will have the longest HSR alignment because over half of the anticipated 330–350 km track would pass through the state.
The three proposed stations for the KL-SG HSR line are to be located in Muar, Batu Pahat, and Iskandar Puteri, with Forest City being an add-on.
Regarding the three LRT lines that are being considered, IKEA Tebrau, Senai, and either LEGOLAND Malaysia or Forest City could be the locations of their respective terminal stations.
According to the insider, if a station for the KL-Singapore HSR line is going to be built in Forest City, it makes more sense to locate the LRT station there.
Launched by Country Garden in 2016, the US$100 billion (approximately RM473 billion) Forest City project is about three times the area of Sentosa Island.
Forest City is 60% owned by Country Garden. Esplanade Danga 88 is its counterpart in Johor.
When the project is finished in 2035, it will be a paradise with turtles and white sand beaches. It will house 700,000 people and cover 7,000 acres on four reclaimed islands.
Less than 10,000 people, or roughly 1% of the project’s aim, are housed by Country Garden, which allegedly spent RM20 billion throughout the project’s seven years.
In the meantime, Fang Fang stated in the statement that Country Garden will be modernising Forest City’s infrastructure in advance of the Special Financial Zone’s (SFZ) debut.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in August 2023 the setting up of a SFZ zone in Forest City to boost investment, growth, and economic activities in Johor.
The Memorandum of Understanding for this was inked on 11th January 2024, between the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore.
According to Fang Fang, the upgrade project is essential to guaranteeing that Forest City will draw in new investors through the SFZ programme.
The building of a checkpoint for the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to move the current checkpoint to a new location is one of the other renovations in Forest City.
She stated that the new inspection centre’s development, which is anticipated to be finished by the end of the year, will improve local enforcement while also ensuring seamless inspections by associated authorities.
According to her, Forest City is also finishing numerous applications of cutting-edge technology and improving its Internet network services to make sure it emerges as one of the greatest financial zones in the area.
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