The Malaysian Insight

THE cabinet will not scrap the Johor Baru-Singapore rapid transit system link (RTS link) project signed in January and details on the venture will be announced soon.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said rail operators SMRT and Prasarana Malaysia had earlier announced a joint venture by June but this has been delayed pending a review of its cost.

Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to continue the RM4 billion project, he said, and the joint venture was supposed to be announced on June 30.

“We need more time to research and gauge the project, so we have asked for an extension of more than a month before we sign it,” Loke said at the  Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) headquarters today.

The 4km RTS link will connect Malaysia via Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru and Singapore via Woodlands North MRT.

Upon completion in 2024, the link will serve 10,000 commuters in each direction per hour.

Both companies are committed to signing the concession agreement for the cross-border MRT service by September 30.

The joint venture company will pay a concession fee to the two nations and split the revenue. Fares will be set by the company and not regulated by the two governments.

This first concession period is 30 years. Subsequent concessions will be awarded through open tender. – June 1, 2018.