Economist Lai Wei Sieng says the project improves labour mobility, strengthens economic integration and enhances Johor’s competitiveness as a foreign direct investment destination.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Lai Wei Sieng said the project would improve labour mobility, strengthen economic integration and enhance Johor’s competitiveness as a foreign direct investment (FDI) destination.
“The RTS Link will improve connectivity, making it a catalyst for FDI in Johor.
“Businesses can leverage on Singapore’s strengths in finance, technology and global connectivity, while benefiting from Johor’s competitive advantage,” he said.
Lai said Johor’s abundant land and lower operating costs would attract investors as economic integration between Johor and Singapore happens through the RTS Link and JS-SEZ.
He compared the potential in the Johor-Singapore relationship to that between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, with cross-border connectivity being among the factors that have helped Shenzhen develop into a technology and manufacturing hub complementing Hong Kong’s strength as a financial centre.
“Without this cross-border connectivity, Shenzhen would not have developed into what it is today,” he told FMT.
Lai said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s special working relationship with his Singaporean counterpart helped reinforce the federal government’s commitment to the RTS Link, giving investors greater confidence in Johor’s long-term prospects.
The project, he said, reflected both governments’ commitment to improving the Malaysia-Singapore link through physical infrastructure, with close coordination between the transport ministry and Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) helping to keep its delivery on track.
Without that bilateral commitment, he said, Johor could remain tied to its current economic model, relying more heavily on domestic investment and attracting less high-value investment from abroad.
“Without this commitment, Johor would be like any other state. It would not have anything special to attract other investors,” he said.
He added the RTS Link project’s economic multiplier effect would benefit Johoreans in the long term.
“When investments pour in there will be more business opportunities and economic activities, which will generate employment. When income rises, household spending will also increase, and this will boost economic activity,” he said.
Transport consultant Rosli Khan said the link could help to reduce congestion on the Causeway by increasing travel capacity between Johor Bahru and Singapore.
“It will be a significant increase in terms of capacity and of course it will reduce the travel time between JB and Singapore and vice versa,” he said.
However, Rosli pointed out that the 15-minute travel time target only refers to the journey between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands, including time spent on immigration clearance, rather than a user’s entire journey.
He noted that not all users live in Bukit Chagar and they would still have to reach the station by car, bus or motorcycle from other parts of Johor.
Rosli estimated that if the RTS Link could cut an average of an hour in travel time for 40,000 users a day, it would reduce productivity loss by about RM500 million a year, based on a value of RM50 an hour and 250 workdays.
“When people are at their desk or in the shop an extra hour every workday, it adds up to a significant number,” he pointed out.
The RTS Link is a federal government initiative aimed at improving connectivity and quality of life for the people of Johor.
The roughly 4km link, delivered through Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of MRT Corp, will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore.
The service is scheduled to begin operations on Jan 1, 2027, with 100 e-gate lanes at the Bukit Chagar Immigration, Customs and Quarantine complex (ICQ).
Once fully operational, it is expected to handle 30% to 40% of movements across the Causeway. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.