Govt urged to use GLCs to develop RTS

JOHOR BARU: The government should take the lead and get a government-linked company to develop the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS) instead of getting the private sector involved.

Johor PKR chief Hassan Abdul Karim said awarding the project to a private company would complicate matters as companies would be “profit driven”.

“This is a project for the people. Do not tell me our GLCs such as Prasarana, Khazanah or KTMB cannot undertake this project?” he asked.

Hassan, who is also Pasir Gudang MP, said that while it was good that the government wanted to plug leakages or bring down the fares, the project should start soon.

“We should also try to leave the private sector out for this project as we do not want accusations about nepotism or cronyism to arise.

“Let us learn from our past mistakes including those involving Malaysia Airlines (MAS),” he said, adding the government should be in control of the project development.

He said the RTS was a much more viable and urgent project compared to reviving the crooked bridge or a third bridge project with the island republic.

He said it would help ease the congestion on the Causeway, which was bad during peak hours.

Hassan also invited Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to come to Johor to view the congestions and the sufferings faced by Malaysians going to work in the wee hours of the morning.

Meanwhile Johor Indian Business Association chairman P. Sivakumar was hopeful that the government would no longer ask for any extension after the Sept 30 deadline.

“We need infrastructure projects such as the RTS Link and Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit to improve connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore,” he said, adding that the RM30 fare under the previous terms were too high.