PASIR GUDANG: The Johor government wants the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project to be carried out as soon as possible following the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's consent of the revised design of its alignment.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the ruler's agreement should be the basis to commence the project immediately as the new design would mean better connection between Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru and Woodlands in Singapore.
"The Sultan of Johor opined that if the (RTS alignment) followed the previous design, it will affect Johor Baru's skyline.
"His Majesty was of the opinion that the initial design should be revised; and this resulted in the federal government revising the design before it was agreed upon.
"That was all. The (revision) was not due to any material matters," Khaled told reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony for Phase 5 of the Johor Government Religious Schools project at SK Taman Bukit Dahlia here today.
He was commenting on Sultan Ibrahim agreement on the revised RTS Link alignment design as proposed by SPAD.
Among other things, the revised design of the rail alignment includes a 25m high bridge that will cross the Straits of Johor in a straight line.
The ruler had conveyed his agreement after granting an audience with SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and his senior management team at Istana Bukit Pelangi here on Tuesday, where they presented the ruler with several options for the project.
The alignment options took into account the suggestions made by Sultan Ibrahim during an earlier audience that the ruler granted on Sept 19.
In August, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his reservations on the previous design that was proposed for the RTS rail track, including an elevated bridge, linking Woodlands in Singapore and Bukit Chagar, Johor Baru.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the New Straits Times Press group, Sultan Ibrahim said while he welcomed the project, he disagreed with the overall curve-shaped design of the track, as well as the plan to build the bridge as high as 30m above water in the middle section.
He was reported as saying that the bridge would disrupt the city skyline along the Johor Straits, adding the proposed curved design of the rail link, as well as the elevated bridge, was impractical, unsustainable and potentially costly.
In September, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan met Sultan Ibrahim to provide details on the RTS project and the ruler had expressed his views.
The RTS, which was announced by the Malaysian and Singaporean governments seven years ago, is expected to accommodate up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction between its terminus stations at Bukit Chagar and Woodlands.
On the Singapore side, the rail link will join the republic's Mass Rapid Transit at its upcoming Thomson East Coast Line (TEL), which will open in phases from 2019 to 2024.
Khaled said he welcomed the agreement for the design and wanted the project to be expedited for the benefit of Johoreans.
"The important thing is that we welcome the project. This (latest development) means that there is surety with its design and this should become the basis when both countries discuss the matter.
"We want the project to start soon so that it could help to ease the congestion at the Johor Causeway as it could cater to thousands of passengers when they travel either way.
"Johor Baru needs this. We have discussed it for a very long time, so we ask for it to start soon," said Khaled.
In this regard, Khaled hoped the people and all quarters will understand and be fair in their opinions towards the goverment because every project could not be simply expedited as issues such as design needed to be ironed out before contruction can begin.