Commuters welcome second RTS Link proposal connecting Tuas with southwestern Johor, however is it possible? | USAEMALL.com

In February, the Malaysia government said that an elevated system of a public bus-tram network or autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) will be built in southern Johor to ease the area’s public transportation woes.

The Johor state government said in 2024 that the proposed rail network would stretch 30km and transport passengers from the Johor Bahru city centre to the suburbs via three lines: The Iskandar Puteri, Skudai and Tebrau lines.

While Iskandar Puteri is slated to be one of the lines, Malaysian authorities have not specified the different stops on the ART network and whether it will be linked up to the proposed second RTS Link. 

Meanwhile, the Johor state government has said that the ART system will be linked to the RTS Link station in Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru town centre to assist with passenger dispersal and assist travellers with last mile connection.

Transport experts whom CNA spoke to stressed that for the second RTS Link proposal to be viable, it would be key that the area where the RTS station is stipulated to be in Iskandar Puteri, also be incorporated into the elevated ART network.

Engineering expert Terence Fan, assistant professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the Singapore Management University, told CNA: “I think we’re overdue for having more links between Singapore and Johor. The only concern here is that, as it stands on the (Iskandar Puteri) side, there’s not much public transportation.”

Theseira also outlined how the proposed RTS Link may not appeal to some Malaysian commuters, many of whom ride motorcycles across the Tuas Second Link.

He posited that it would be unlikely that these motorcyclists would volunteer to swap out their current mode of transport for the RTS Link given that they do not pay toll at the land checkpoints, and they can use their motorbikes to travel directly between their home and workplace.

“I think the RTS Link proposal, given this context, is not at the moment realistic,” he added.