Azmin confident of meeting July 31 deadline of RTS

JOHOR BARU: Malaysia is confident of meeting Singapore’s July 31 deadline for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project, which will link the island republic’s Thomson-East Coast MRT line with Bukit Chagar here, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

He said there were 222 unresolved issues on the project.

“However, both countries have successfully solved 220 issues pertaining to the RTS project.

“We only have two more issues where a technical committee will meet up on July 13 to discuss them, ” he said when met after attending a roundtable discussion with local industry players here yesterday.

Azmin, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, however declined to elaborate on the two issues, which he would leave it to the technical committee to discuss which needed approval from both countries.

“I have spoken to the Transport Ministry and was given the assurance that both teams will be able to resolve the two remaining issues.

“This is important because we been given until the end of this month to conclude the whole process of negotiation pertaining to the RTS, ” he added.

Azmin stressed that the RTS project was important, in particular for locals who travel daily into and from Singapore for work and to ease congestion at the Causeway.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad, who was present during the discussion, said the latest development was good news to the state.

“The RTS will finally become a reality and it would be a game changer for Johor, ” he said, adding that the project would

help create a supply chain involving various sectors here.

On June 22, The Straits Times quoted Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan as saying that discussions with Malaysia about the construction of RTS Link was still ongoing ahead of a final deadline of July 31.

The rail line project – which would connect Woodlands North station on Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast MRT line to Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru – has been

suspended since April last year to allow Malaysia to review the project and suggest changes for Singapore’s consideration.

Khaw had said in November last year that Singapore and Malaysia would need to sign three agreements this year on the cross-border RTS Link, after three suspensions to the project, which was first announced in 2010.

A bilateral agreement was signed in January 2018 to build the link by Dec 31,2024.

Construction for the project was to have started last year.

The deadline was further suspended for a fourth time to end-July due to factors such as the change of government in Malaysia and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.