During the suspension, Malaysia will decide if it wants to continue with the project as it is. It can also suggest changes to the project scope, with Singapore giving due consideration to such changes.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport revealed that Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to extend, for another month, the deadline on determining whether the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link’s construction should be continued without additional cost, reported Channel News Asia.
The date chosen as the new deadline was 31 October.
In May, the countries agreed to suspend the RTS Link’s construction until 30 September upon Malaysia’s request. Due to the suspension, Malaysia paid Singapore around S$600,000 as reimbursement for the abortive costs incurred.
During the suspension, Malaysia will decide if it wants to continue with the project as it is. It can also suggest changes to the project scope, with Singapore giving due consideration to such changes.
The project, which connects Woodlands in Singapore to Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, is seen to ferry up to 10,000 passengers each hour each way.
The project was scheduled to be finished by 2024, but is now behind schedule as Malaysia has repeatedly delayed confirmation of its joint venture partner.
Under a bilateral agreement signed in January 2018, a joint venture company comprising Malaysia’s Prasarana Malaysia and Singapore’s SMRT should have been constituted by 30 June 2018.
The company should have also been appointed as the RTS link’s operator via a concession agreement with the Malaysian government and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority by 30 September 2018.
Both targets were missed.
Malaysia then requested for an extension until 31 March, for the confirmation of its joint venture partner.
In April, Putrajaya said it had asked for another six-month extension from Singapore before deciding on the RTS project, to allow the Malaysian government to look into several issues including the project’s implementation cost.
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Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg
