To ease congestion at Causeway and Second Link, M’sia to invest S$27.9 million; RTS ‘to proceed’: Lim Guan Eng
In his speech in Parliament during the tabling of the country’s 2020 Budget on Friday (Oct 11), Mr Lim Guan Eng said that the congestion problem at the Johor Causeway — where over 300,000 Malaysians commute daily to Singapore — is a “pressing issue the government seeks to address”.
SINGAPORE — The Malaysian government will invest RM85 million (S$27.9 million) beginning from next year to address the congestion problem at the Causeway and the Second Link, the country’s finance minister Lim Guan Eng said.
In his speech in Parliament during the tabling of the country’s 2020 Budget on Friday (Oct 11), Mr Lim said that the congestion problem at the Johor Causeway — where over 300,000 Malaysians commute daily to Singapore — is a “pressing issue the government seeks to address”.
He added that the RM85 million investment beginning from 2020 will help enhance the vehicle and traffic flow through the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex and ease the congestion at the Causeway and the Second Link.
“An additional 50 counters will be opened for motorcyclists,” Mr Lim said, adding that there would be a streamlining of the immigration processes.
Mr Lim said that as part of a longer-term solution to address congestion between Singapore and Malaysia, the Malaysian government intends to proceed with the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link between the Republic and Johor Baru.
The RTS Link, which connects Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore, is expected to ferry up to 10,000 passengers an hour each way. The project was meant to be completed by 2024, but is now behind schedule with Malaysia repeatedly delaying confirmation of its joint-venture partner.
Based on a bilateral agreement signed in January last year, a joint-venture company comprising Singapore’s SMRT and Malaysia’s Prasarana Malaysia should have been constituted by June 30 last year.
In May, the two countries agreed to suspend the construction of the RTS Link until Sept 30 at Malaysia’s request. As part of the agreement, Malaysia would reimburse Singapore for the abortive costs incurred (around S$600,000) due to the suspension.
Just last month, Singapore’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that it had agreed to Malaysia’s request to extend by a month the suspension period of the project.
The suspension period now ends on Oct 31.
TODAY has reached out to the MOT for comments. AGENCIES
