January 10, 2024, 08:42 PM
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Johor on Jan 11.
He will attend a commemorative ceremony for the Johor Bahru- Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project, and also witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Johor – Singapore Special Economic Zone.
The ceremony will be attended by both PM Lee and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Connection
It will commemorate the completion of the connecting span between Singapore and Malaysia for the RTS Link viaduct.
The RTS Link represents the third physical connection between Johor and Singapore, after the Causeway and the Tuas Second Link bridge.
The RTS Link is projected to begin operations by the end of 2026, and is projected to absorb 35 per cent of causeway traffic by January 2027.
It would allow passengers to cross the border in an estimated 15 minutes, with an expected peak capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
In May 2023, the project passed the 50 per cent mark of civil construction works on the Singaporean side.
Special zone
After the ceremony, both prime ministers will also witness the signing of the MOU on the Johor Singapore- Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
The JS-SEZ aims to strengthen economic collaboration in the Iskandar Development Region by tapping into the complementary strengths of both countries and improving cross border flows of goods, investments and people.
The MOU was brought up during Anwar's visit to Singapore for the Annual Leaders Retreat in October 2023.
The SEZ is a popular topic for Malaysian leaders, with Anwar and the future Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, both touting it as a future milestone in relations between the two countries.
PM Lee will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, National Development Minister Desmond Lee, Acting Minister For Transport Chee Hong Tat, as well as Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Faishal Ibrahim.
Related Stories
Top Image via MOT & Lee Hsien Loong/Facebook
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.