Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore met with his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin at the Causeway on July 30 for the signing ceremony of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Project.

The bilateral ceremony took place at the dividing line of the Causeway. The Transport Ministers of both countries also attended, Wee Ka Siong and the newly-appointed Ong Ye Kung.

The RTS Link is expected to begin construction in 2021, and operations are expected to start in 2026.

The 4-km rail link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands in Singapore, and is expected to ferry up to 10,000 passengers per hour.

In an Instagram post, PMO revealed the ceremony was held at the Causeway due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDP9VA5ozxw/

According to the joint statement issued by both Malaysia and Singapore stated that three key agreements between both governments have successfully been concluded, including an agreement to amend the RTS Link Bilateral Agreement.

The RTS Link will continue to feature co-location of customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities, so that passengers undergo CIQ clearance only once at their point of departure.

Both countries have also agreed to work on establishing proper protocol for essential travel through a Reciprocal Green Lane arrangement.

This will take into account mutually agreed public health protocols and the medical resources available in both countries.

Top image from PMO's Facebook.