Johor Questions Delay as Penang LRT Gets Federal Nod

The Johor government is pressing Putrajaya to speed up approval for its long-discussed public rail system, warning that the state risks a serious congestion problem once the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link begins service in 2027.

State Transport, Infrastructure, and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said Johor is ready to proceed with either an Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) or Light Rail Transit (LRT) network. 

What matters now, he stressed, is that the federal government makes a decision quickly, as work must begin by early next year to keep pace with the RTS timeline.

Fazli noted that the RTS Link could move as many as 10,000 people per hour between Singapore and Bukit Chagar. Without a proper feeder rail system in Johor Bahru, he said, the area will struggle to absorb the sudden jump in passenger volume. 

He also highlighted that this urgency reflects the stance of Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail, who has called for the project to be expedited.

He went on to compare Johor’s situation with Penang, pointing out that the northern state’s LRT project has already received federal approval, while Johor’s proposals remain stalled without a final decision or tender. This delay, he warned, could leave Johor unprepared when cross-border traffic surges.

The RTS Link itself is a 4km shuttle service that will connect Bukit Chagar with Woodlands North in Singapore, forming a key cross-border rail corridor.

Source: MalayMail