Final Talks On Johor Singapore Rapid Transit System Next Week

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The 4km RTS Link connects Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore. The RM4 billion project is expected to ferry up to 10,000 passengers per hour each way.JOHOR BAHRU: The final negotiations on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project is expected to take place next week before the finalisation of the agreement between Malaysia and Singapore by the end of this month
Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said it was hoped that the two issues raised in relation to the project could be resolved during the negotiations before the start of the process to check the agreement’s contents just prior to signing
At the same time, his ministry will await the formation of Singapore government’s new Cabinet in order to realise the project, given that the republic had held its general election just yesterday, he said
“If we are able to complete the negotiations next week, it will be timely for us to seal the agreement. We must do all this before the July 31 deadline,” the MCA president told reporters after chairing a Johor MCA meeting here today
Wee was replying to a question on the latest developments on RTS in view of the July 13 meeting to discuss the two issues by the project’s technical committee
However, he declined to elaborate on the two issues based on the policy of resolving issues in a neighbourly spirit between the two countries
“I am confident that with the transport mnistry leading the negotiations, together with other agencies, we can overcome (the issues) one by one,” he said
Meanwhile, Wee, who is also the Ayer Hitam MP, said his ministry was also in the midst of repairing and rehabilitating the railway track linking the Port of Pasir Gudang here with the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Gelang Patah
“I am quite disappointed over the fairly slow progress. We must take quick action as the two ports handle high volumes of cargo containers
“We need to optimise the use of the existing railway to resolve congestion problems,” he said when asked on his meeting with Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad yesterday. - FMT

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