Site of terminal for rail link to Malaysia to be unveiled soon

Singapore

SINGAPORE will be announcing the location of its terminal for the Singapore-to-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR) when the heads of both countries meet for an upcoming retreat.

Separately, the second phase of an engineering study on the Rapid Transit System (RTS), which will connect JB to the Thomson MRT line, will begin after the location of the terminal in Johor Baru (JB) has been fixed, said the Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM) on Friday.

The RTS is set for completion by 2018.

Work is progressing on the HSR, with various working groups now looking into the technical requirements and the operating and financing models, said the JMCIM. Malaysian media had reported last year that details would be finalised in the current quarter of this year.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had previously said that Jurong East would be a "very attractive" location for the HSR terminal station; two other sites being considered are Tuas West and the city centre.

Meanwhile, for the RTS, Malaysian media reports last year had named Bukit Chagar, near the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building, as the location of the Johor Baru terminal; other potential sites are Tanjung Puteri and JB Sentral.

Singapore had hoped that Malaysia would confirm the site at the JMCIM meeting, so that the alignment of the Johor Baru-Singapore crossing can be ascertained.

Transport connectivity between both countries is also being enhanced through the raising of the quota for cross-border bus services from 16 to 20. A committee is reviewing new landing points in both countries to improve the cross-border bus network.

The JMCIM meeting was co-chaired by Malaysia's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Wahid Omar and Singapore's Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan. Johor's Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Singapore's Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew, as well as senior officials from both countries, were also at the meeting.