JOHOR BARU: The Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) project will be a catalyst for economic growth for the Johor capital once it is operational in two years, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The RTS Link remains on schedule to be completed by Dec 31, 2026 and operational on Jan 1, 2027.“We can see that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has been very proactive in improving congestion at the Causeway.
“In the long term, the RTS Link will further alleviate the issue by transporting up to 10,000 passengers in each direction between Johor Baru and Singapore.”
The MCA president shared his views when met at the opening of a local fast-food chain outlet at a shopping mall here yesterday.
Dr Wee, who is the Ayer Hitam MP, said the link would streamline immigration clearance for passengers travelling between Malaysia and Singapore, as checks would only need to be done once.
Meeting the people: Dr Wee addressing the crowd after opening a local fast food chain outlet at a shopping mall in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
“This will create economic spin-off benefits for local businesses such as retail outlets within the Johor Baru area, especially those near the RTS station.
“The RTS Link will act as a catalyst for economic growth in the city.
“With a travel time of just five minutes between Johor Baru and Singapore, commuting will no longer be a challenge,” he said.
Dr Wee also noted that the exchange rate, which favours the Singapore dollar, is expected to encourage Singaporeans to spend their money here, stimulating the local economy.
He emphasised that the recent signing of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone agreement would further enhance the state’s economic potential.
However, he urged both the federal and state governments to plan for long-term solutions to manage congestion in Johor Baru as the RTS Link project progresses.“Johor now has huge potential and we must leave it to the authorities to implement effective traffic dispersion here.
“It must be implemented fast, whether through a rail or public transport system, to support the RTS Link,” he added.
