OHOR BAHRU, Aug 18 (Bernama) – The Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex and the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link station on the Malaysian side were built as two separate structures due to the presence of Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB) pipelines between the two buildings.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this differed from the Singapore side, where the CIQ facilities and station are integrated within a single complex.
He said the design was necessary to ensure the PUB pipelines, which extend to Singapore, remain accessible to the Singapore authorities.
“One of the agreements with Singapore is that the PUB pipes must be accessible by their authorities because the pipes connect all the way to Singapore.
“So, we cannot cover everything under one complex. That is why there are two separate structures as far as the CIQ complex and the station are concerned,” he told reporters after a media visit to the Bukit Chagar RTS Link project here today.
Loke also said the proposed Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project in Johor Bahru would be integrated with the Bukit Chagar RTS Link to ensure connectivity within the city’s public transport network.
“Integration with ART will definitely be taken into consideration. The ART project will have to integrate with RTS.
“Because RTS has already been built, any future development of ART has to be integrated with the RTS. That is for sure,” he said.
However, he stressed that the ART and RTS Link are separate projects, adding that the government is currently working on the concession agreement for the ART project.
He said further details would be announced once the agreement is finalised.
Previously, Loke said federal government will provide funding to finance the E-ART project.
He said that for now, the detailed method of financing, actual financial commitment and the repayment mechanism over the concession period are still at the negotiation level.
-– BERNAMA