KULAI: Caretaker Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has urged Putrajaya to speed up implementation of the Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit (E-ART) project.
He said it is the key long-term solution to easing traffic congestion in Johor Baru once the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link begins operations.
He said the short- and medium-term measures being undertaken, including expanding park and ride facilities, implementing smart traffic management systems and reorganising the movement of buses, taxis and e-hailing vehicles at JB Sentral, were only temporary solutions.
"These measures are necessary because the main project capable of dispersing traffic from the RTS has yet to begin.
"Therefore, there is one project that we must continue to focus on and expedite, namely the E-ART project,” he said during the launch of the Southern Shuttle train service operations at Kulai Railway Station here on Tuesday (June 16).
Also present was Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
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Onn Hafiz added that the E-ART project had already been presented at a Cabinet meeting in 2024, but physical works have yet to begin.
He said Johoreans were waiting for a clear timeline, particularly as to when construction would begin.
"The question now is when this project will start. The people of Johor want to know when we can conduct a site visit together for this project.
"As far as I understand, the letter of award has yet to be issued, and even after works begin, the project is expected to take between four and five years to complete," he said.
He stressed that the need to accelerate the project was becoming increasingly urgent as the RTS Link connecting Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North is scheduled to begin operations in early 2027.
Without an efficient and high-capacity urban public transport system, he warned, the increase in passenger volume could put greater strain on Johor Baru’s road network.
Drawing a comparison with Penang’s Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, which has a budget ceiling of RM16.8bil with physical works already ongoing, Onn Hafiz said Johor hoped to receive similar attention and priority from the Federal Government.
He noted that Johor Baru alone has a population of about 1.8 million, almost equivalent to the entire population of Penang, while also serving as one of the country’s busiest international gateways.
He said E-ART was more than just a development initiative, describing it as a crucial federal intervention that would directly improve daily mobility, reduce congestion and strengthen connectivity between the RTS Link and key areas in Johor Baru.
"If this project can be expedited, the credit will go to the Federal Government. It will be all yours," he added.
