Malaysia, Singapore in final stages of RTS

SINGAPORE: Malaysia and Singapore are in the final stages of their
plans on the proposed rapid transport system (RTS) that will enhance
people-to-people links between both countries.

It was reported
earlier both countries had agreed to go ahead with the RTS linking
Johor Baru and the republic and they had a year to draft the plans on
the preferred option for the RTS.

Johor Mentri Besar, Datuk
Abdul Ghani Othman, said the two countries were now in the final stages
in the preparation for the RTS.

"The proposed alternative will
be finally presented to the two governments including the design,
taking into account also the costing.

"Before year-end, I would
imagine both governments will decide on the type of RTS to be
implemented with the schedule completion by 2018," he told reporters
after taking a bus together with Malaysians working in Singapore at
Jurong East Bus Terminal here today.

Abdul Ghani said the RTS would ensure that lots of people could move speedily to and fro.

He
said both governments were also trying to explore the most efficient
checkpoint and immigration quarantine (CIQ) just like Europe, where
there was one stop at one CIQ, "so it may be a joint CIQ as well."

"A
joint CIQ would realise the optimum objective of having the proposed
mode of transport linking Johor Bahru and Singapore," he said.

Abdul
Ghani said when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak visited
Singapore during the Leaders Retreat with his Singaporean counterpart
Lee Hsien Loong in February this year, "in the Joint Ministerial
Meeting, which I am a member of it, we have been briefed on the
possible options (of the RTS design)."

"I would not want to say all the possible options. The consultants had been asked to come out with all the possible options.

"They have spent time doing these consultations in the last two years and it has been exhausting," he said.

He
said upon completion of the RTS, travelling between Malaysia and
Singapore, at least on the causeway side, would definitely be more
efficient, with lots of people will be moved via RTS

"The capacity will be enough, the speed will be fast enough and people moving to and fro Singapore will be more efficient.

"That
will definitely reduce the congestion that cause as a result of the
daily usage of the causeway or the second link," he said.

Abdul
Ghani said based on his observation when following Malaysians working
in Singapore, he noticed it has been quite a long journey to go to work
and back to Johor.

"But the flow of bus is comfortable enough
and make it easy for them to go to work into Singapore and (back)
Johor, I notice a high percentage of Malaysians do work in Singapore,"
he said.-- Bernama