KULAI, June 16 — Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has urged the federal government to expedite the city centre’s rapid transit project to relieve traffic in the city centre once the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link begins operations on January 1 next year.

He said that the short and medium-term measures currently being implemented, including expanding Park & Ride facilities, implementing smart traffic management and reorganising bus, taxi and e-hailing movements at JB Sentral.

“We have to implement these short and medium-term measures as temporary solutions because the main project that can disperse traffic has not yet started.

“There is one project that we still need to focus on and expedite, which is the city centre’s rapid transit project,” he said in his opening address at the Southern Shuttle Service operations launch at the Kulai railway station here today.

Present was Transport Minister Anthony Loke who also officiated the event.

Onn Hafiz said that the city centre’s rapid transit project project had already been tabled in the Cabinet meeting back in 2024.

However, he said the physical work for the project has not yet commenced.

“The people of Johor are still waiting for a clearer implementation timeline, especially on the date the project will start.

“The question is when will this project start? Johoreans are keen to know when can we do a site visit together for this project?” he said.

Onn Hafiz said from his understanding, the Letter of Award (LOA) has not yet been issued.

“Even after work starts, the project is expected to take between four and five years to complete,” he said, adding that the need to expedite the project was increasingly urgent as the RTS Link connecting Bukit Chagar station to the Woodlands North station is scheduled to commence operations in early 2027.

He said that without an efficient and high-capacity urban public transport system, the increased passenger movement from the RTS Link may put additional strain on the road network in the Johor Bahru city centre.

Onn Hafiz also drew comparisons with the Mutiara Line LRT project in Penang which has a budget ceiling of RM16.8 billion, with physical work having commenced and the project targeted for completion by the end of 2031.

“We are happy because every state deserves to enjoy good public transport facilities. However, we also hope that the needs of Johor are given the same attention and priority.

“The Johor Bahru district alone has about 1.8 million residents, almost equal to the entire population of Penang.

“Johor Bahru is also the country’s main international gateway with a very high rate of cross-border movement,” he said.

Onn Hafiz said the Johor Bahru rapid transit project was not just a development plan, but rather an important intervention by the federal government that would directly impact the daily lives of the people.

He pointed out that the implementation of the project will help reduce congestion, improve connectivity between RTS Link and key areas in Johor Bahru and encourage more residents to use public transportation.

“I believe that the significance and speed of the federal government in implementing this project will have a huge impact on the people of Johor, especially in reducing congestion and improving daily mobility.

“This is a form of federal intervention that can truly be felt, appreciated and remembered by the people.

“If this project can be expedited, the credit is huge to the federal government,” he said.