
Excitement building up over 6-minute SG-JB RTS Link crossing
SINGAPORE: The official Facebook account for the Singapore-Johor Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link stoked excitement last week with a post about how quickly commuters will get from one point to another when the link is operational.
'Ever wondered how quickly you'll be crossing the border with the new RTS Link?' the post asked, and quickly answered with 'Just six minutes—that's all it takes for an end-to-end journey!' FB screengrab/ RTS Link JB-SG
The post, which has since been shared over 220 times, added the other features of the 'game-changing shuttle service,' which has been 'built for efficiency and convenience, with a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction!'
It added that during peak hours, it will run every 3.6 minutes. There is also enough parking for commuters, with 1,550 car bays & 1,000 motorcycle bays at Bukit Chagar. Finally, the RTS link will operate between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. every day.
The post ended with, 'We're not just building a railway—we're shaping the future of seamless cross-border connectivity.'
The project is expected to begin operations in late 2026.
In February, RTS Operations (RTSO) project director Zahrin Abdul Gani confirmed that track installation, signalling, and power supply systems are taking shape. The project was reportedly around 50% complete at the time, as key rail system works were progressing as planned.
RTSO is a joint venture between Prasarana Malaysia and the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) Corporation. The track installation, which began in September last year at the Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru, is expected to reach Singapore's Woodlands North station next month.
The link will be an important part of the solution to the persistent traffic problems on the Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, which is used by approximately 300,000 people daily. Travel time for commuters would be cut to just a few minutes on the Llink.
It will connect Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North station in Singapore and has the capacity to transport around 10,000 passengers each way. The project is budgeted to cost S$3.24 billion, with Malaysia taking on a 39% share of the costs while Singapore will shoulder the remaining 61%.
'This project is much more than building bridges—it is also about building a better future for both countries, strengthening our longstanding friendship and creating more win-win opportunities for our businesses and citizens in areas of common interest and mutual benefit,' said former Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat last year. /TISG
Read also: Malaysia's Penang LRT and Johor RTS Link to help ease traffic, but bus networks may hold the key

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Ties with China must be cultivated generation after generation: PM Wong
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong says the relationship between Singapore and China will continue to develop and grow with new ways of cooperation. These include areas like the digital and green economies. Mr Wong added that the ties must be cultivated and nurtured generation after generation and he is committed to strengthening relations with China. He made the observation during an official visit to Beijing where he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Tan Si Hui with this report.


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Day 1 of hearing of businessman wanted by Indonesia centres on evidence submitted after deadline
Day One of a hearing involving the possible extradition of a businessman to Indonesia centred on evidence being submitted after the stipulated deadline. More than 100 pages including witness statements from Indonesia are under scrutiny. Paulus Tannos, a Singapore Permanent Resident, is wanted by the Indonesian authorities for his alleged involvement in an electronic ID card project that is said to have caused losses of around 2.3 trillion rupiah or roughly S$180 million. Nasyrah Rohim has more.


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
MAS rejects Tan Suee Chieh's request to meet Gan Kim Yong over Income-Allianz issue
SINGAPORE: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it has rejected former NTUC Income CEO Tan Suee Chieh's request to meet its chairman Gan Kim Yong over the aborted Income-Allianz deal, as the issues had been debated extensively in parliament. In a statement on Monday (Jun 23), MAS noted that Mr Tan had written three open letters between August 2024 and April 2025 to the financial regulator and Mr Gan, who is also the deputy prime minister. On Jun 9, 2025, he wrote to MAS seeking a response to his third open letter, as well as to request a meeting with Mr Gan or a senior representative. The third letter, dated Apr 27, was published during the hustings period for the General Election. The aborted deal became an election campaign issue and talking point, with Mr Gan in the spotlight amid his candidacy in the battleground of Punggol GRC. Mr Tan had been among the prominent voices who spoke out against the proposed deal. While his third open letter again questioned MAS' regulatory oversight over the transaction, he also urged Mr Gan to address the concerns, given his election bid in Punggol. MAS on Monday addressed why it did not accede to Mr Tan's request to meet Mr Gan or a senior management, and reiterated the timeline of events. It said the matters relating to MAS had been addressed at the parliament sitting on Oct 14, 2024, in a ministerial statement by then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and then-Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong. Further explanations were provided by then-Second Minister for Finance, Mr Chee Hong Tat as part of the parliamentary debate on Oct 14 and 16, 2024. "These are a matter of public record and are available in the Hansard,' MAS said. 'Given that the proposed transaction and amendments to the Insurance Act had been extensively debated in parliament, and addressed again in this open reply, we have not acceded to Mr Tan's request to meet with chairman or senior representatives from MAS,' said the authority. 'Nevertheless, if Mr Tan has further feedback or information to share with us, we will duly consider them.' TIMELINE German insurer Allianz withdrew its offer last December to acquire a majority stake in Income Insurance after the government stepped in to block the transaction over concerns that it would not be able to continue its social mission. Income, a former co-op, was corporatised in 2022. In doing so, it sought to be exempted from Section 88 of the Co-operative Societies Act, which allowed it to carry over approximately S$2 billion in surplus to the new corporate entity, said the minister. The proposed capital reduction in the Income-Allianz deal 'runs counter' to the premise for why the exemption was given, Mr Tong said in October. The government said it was open to new arrangements if the concerns highlighted were fully addressed. Allianz said at the time that it would consider revising the deal, but eventually decided not to go ahead. MAS reiterated on Monday that on Jul 17, 2024, Allianz made a pre-conditional voluntary cash general offer to acquire at least 51 per cent of the shares in Income, subject to regulatory approval. In order to make this pre-conditional voluntary cash general offer, Allianz and NTUC Enterprise had received approval from MAS under section 27(2) of the Insurance Act 1966. This allowed NTUC Enterprise and Allianz to enter into an agreement or arrangement to act together to acquire an interest of 5 per cent or more of Income's voting shares. MAS said the proposed transaction was subject to further regulatory approval from MAS for Allianz to obtain effective control and become a substantial shareholder of Income. 'At this point, the regulatory approval process was not completed and would have taken a few months for MAS to complete its assessment. Minister Chee explained at the Aug 6, 2024 parliamentary sitting that 'the proposed deal was still subject to MAS' regulatory approval' and there was 'due process for this',' added MAS. Mr Chee also said on Oct 16 that there was no formal application yet by Allianz to obtain effective control and become a substantial shareholder of Income. MAS had received Allianz's preliminary business plan for Income by mid-July 2024. 'This included a set of business and financial projections, which included a plan for capital efficiency and reduction. There was no application to MAS to approve the capital reduction plan, neither did MAS give any such approval. Any capital reduction would need separate and specific MAS approval,' it said on Monday. MAS also noted Mr Chee's explanation in parliament on Oct 14, that MAS had reviewed the 'high-level submitted information based on prudential grounds, focusing on whether Allianz was fit and proper, looking at its financial strength and track record, and looking at the interests of Income's policy-holders and ensuring that this will be safeguarded with a new strong substantial shareholder'. Mr Tong also said that MAS considered the planned capital optimisation from a prudential point of view in accordance with its regulatory mandate, and that the authority did not have reason for concern. This was because Income was projected to continue to meet regulatory capital requirements with a healthy margin, even with the capital reduction. While MAS did not have prudential grounds for concern about the transaction after the Aug 6 parliament sitting, it noted that the planned capital reduction could be relevant to MCCY's considerations, taking into account Income's prior status as a co-operative society. MAS noted that Mr Chee explained on Oct 16 that it was then that MAS surfaced this to its board and shared it with MCCY. Before then, MAS said it had not been aware of the representations that Income had made to MCCY when it was allowed to carry over S$2 billion in surplus to the new corporatised entity. MAS said the government decided to amend the Insurance Act and stop the transaction after it shared the information with MCCY. During the parliament sitting on Oct 14, Mr Tong explained that: 'When we first saw the announcements, we accepted the intent of the transaction, which is to strengthen Income.' He also said the government did not have concerns over Allianz's standing or suitability to acquire a majority stake in Income. However, MCCY found it 'difficult to reconcile the proposed substantial capital reduction, soon after the transaction is completed, with Income's representations to MCCY during the corporatisation exercise that it was aiming to build up capital resources and enhance its financial strength'. MAS said MCCY was also 'not satisfied' that Income would be able to continue fulfilling its social mission after the proposed transaction. Parliament passed the Insurance (Amendment) Bill under a Certificate of Urgency on Oct 16. This was so that there would be a clear statutory basis for MAS to consider MCCY's views when approving or rejecting such applications, noted the authority. 'The government also stated its view that the transaction in its then-current form could not proceed,' MAS added. Mr Tan welcomed the government's decision, saying on social media that it "underscores the importance of speaking up on matters of public interest". Mr Tan was CEO of NTUC Income from 2007 to 2013 before becoming Group CEO of NTUC Enterprise from 2013 to 2017. He had also led Prudential from 1994 to 1999. Other figures who were against the Income-Allianz deal included Mr Tan's predecessor Tan Kin Lian and Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh. Their concerns were mainly over how Allianz, a large multinational company, would not be fully aligned with the original mission of the Singapore entity, which is to serve the needs of low-income workers.