JB-Singapore RTS Project May Include Underground Road Connection

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Singapore are looking at the possibility of expanding the scope of the proposed Rapid Transit System (RTS) between Singapore and Malaysia's southern city of Johor Bahru to also include underground road connection between the two countries, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said. A study has been commissioned for the most viable option for the RTS project, which is targeted to be operational by 2018, Najib said during a joint press conference given here together with his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, after the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat here, Thursday. Officials from both countries are also studying international best practices to implement a dual co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) system to complement the RTS link, a joint statement issued by the two governments at the event Thursday said. Both countries, through Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia would also explore the possibility of establishing ferry and water taxi services as another means of transportation between the two countries. A new work group on industrial cooperation would be formed under the committee to promote mutually beneficial twinning of economic activities between southern economic region Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore. "The idea of the new work group is to cooperate and train more locals in industrial and manufacturing projects," Lee said. He added that the manufacturing sector, which represented almost a quarter of Singapore’s economy, was continuously upgraded and was growing. However, Singapore has the constraints of space and manpower, he said. "Iskandar Malaysia can provide infrastructure and industrial facilities for project expansion by Singapore companies or projects that want to come to Singapore but couldn’t be accommodated there. We can work together," he said. Both leaders also welcomed the initiatives pursued by the Malaysia-Singapore Business Council towards further enhancing trade and investment collaboration, including promoting Singapore investments into other economic corridors in Malaysia. – BERNAMA Malaysia