Don’t delay RTS Link project any further, govt urged

PETALING JAYA: MCA has called on the government to implement the Johor-Woodlands Rapid Transit System link project as soon as possible as the wellbeing of many people depend on it.

Calling on the 4km-long project to start without further delay, the party’s International Communication & Diplomacy Bureau chairman, Dr Tee Ching Seng, said the project was important for the cross-border movement of commuters across the Causeway daily.

“The government must prioritise projects meant for the betterment of the people.

“The RTS project is one of the most effective options when it comes to solving the daily gridlock over the Causeway,” he said in a statement yesterday.

In August, Tee, who is also MCA government monitoring committee member, said the Pakatan Harapan government had delayed the project five times since it took over the country’s administration, compromising the interest of the people.

“More than 200,000 people commute daily to and fro the Causeway.

“The government has already taken more than 17 months to scrutinise the project, including putting it into Budget 2020, And Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had given his word that Malaysia will not give up on RTS.

“And yet, the Transport Minister kept insisting he needed more time. How much time is ‘more time’?” he asked.

“How do they expect the people to trust in their competency to handle the development of an entire integrated public transport network?

“Is it all that hard to make a decision on a project that will benefit countless Malaysians?” he added.

Last week, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia will announce its position on the RTS by the end of this month, in keeping with the timeline agreed upon with Singapore, with a commitment to meeting the Oct 31 deadline.

The bilateral agreement to build the project was inked on Jan 18 last year after discussions between Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission (now Agency) and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority.

The agreement outlines aspects such as technical, safety and security requirements, commercial, financing, procurement and regulatory frameworks and customs, immigration and quarantine arrangements.