Global Energy Crisis Not Affecting RTS Link Project Progress - Loke

JOHOR BAHRU, April 3 (Bernama) -- The global energy crisis is not affecting the progress and cost of the entire Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project, which also includes the construction of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (ICQ) Complex and Bukit Chagar Station.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that currently the physical work of the station and complex project is in the final phase of completion and is expected to begin full operation early next year as scheduled.

“Right now, it is the system installation phase. So it does not involve much in terms of fuel costs and so on. So I am confident that it will not affect this project.

“So far, I have not been given anything or requests from the contractor regarding the cost increase for this project. So I am confident that this cost can still be controlled according to the original cost,” he said.

He told reporters after visiting the RTS Link and ICQ Complex projects as well as the RTS Bukit Chagar Station here today, which was also attended by MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim.

He said that RTS Link is now entering a very important and critical phase, namely testing and commissioning, including system installation, acceptance testing, integration and dynamic testing, which will lead to the Final Field Readiness (FFR) stage expected this September.

Regarding the traffic dispersal in the city after RTS Link begins operations, he said the government plans to connect all ramp routes to Bukit Chagar station, which is expected to be completed by May, as well as provide four drop-off locations for passenger convenience.

In addition, he said the station will also be integrated with JB Sentral via a pedestrian walkway to facilitate KTM Komuter passengers.

He said that stage bus services such as BAS.MY will also be expanded, besides efforts to create a connecting bus hub near the station to help passengers travel to other areas in Johor Bahru.

“We will identify a suitable location to be used as a connecting bus hub between JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar Station. This intermediary bus is important to help RTS users move to other areas in Johor Bahru,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said that so far, the installation of e-gates at the ICQ Complex has been fully completed, while the installation work of body screening equipment and baggage scanners has begun, two months earlier than the original target of May 2026.

“There are 10 security screening lanes, 18-unit baggage scanners, as well as 100 e-gate routes including a special route for passengers without baggage and all have been installed,” he said.

Loke said he would also go to Singapore at the end of this month to discuss the progress report of this project with his counterpart, in addition to visiting the Woodlands North Station in that country.

“This is to ensure that both parties have the best integration and I am sure the Singaporean side also wants to see this project completed on schedule and be able to open by January 2027,” he said.

The RTS Link project, which is expected to operate in January 2027, is capable carrying 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction by connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor and Woodlands North in Singapore in five minutes.

-- BERNAMA