Johor works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Fazli Salleh said Putrajaya plans to invite the private sector to submit proposals in the next four months for either network.
““The timeline given to us by the government for initiation of the request for proposal exercise is the second quarter of this year,” he was quoted by The Straits Times as saying.
“The idea is to complete it in two years to closely align with the completion of the RTS Link to ease congestion at Bukit Chagar station.”
Due for completion in 2026, the RTS Link is a 4km light rail transit shuttle service connecting Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru and the Woodlands North station in Singapore.
It is expected to serve up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction during peak periods.
Fazli said the RFP exercise would help the government evaluate the feasibility of both projects – either the LRT or the autonomous rapid transit (ART) system.
He said the two networks could cost about RM7 billion and RM20 billion, respectively.
The project could be funded fully by the private sector, or be a public-private sector partnership, he said.
“Although the federal government has agreed with our proposal on the ART system, there is also a possibility of building a LRT, depending on the companies’ proposals,” he said.
Transport consultant Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said either network could help people commute quickly to and from their homes and offices in Singapore and Johor.
He said regions that have successfully implemented cross-border rail services, such as Denmark and Sweden around the Oresund region, typically invested in strong feeder systems to ensure passengers can reach their ultimate destinations hassle-free.
“When large numbers of daily commuters start arriving at Bukit Chagar, the question is, How do we keep them moving efficiently to different parts of Johor Bahru?
“Simply relying on private vehicles or taxis could cause new traffic snarls, especially around the station area,” he said.
Wan Agyl also stressed the need to encourage Malaysians to use public transportation as many still prefer personal vehicles.
Transport economist Walter Theseira from Singapore University of Social Sciences, however, said most townships in Singapore are not transit-oriented with homes and business premises not constructed within walking distances of public transport.
He said most homes in Johor are low-rise and designed for people who own personal vehicles.
“So, It’s not as simple as just building it (a LRT or ART link to the RTS), it’s actually a question of whether you want to build a neighbourhood to be transit-oriented, otherwise, it will end up being a white elephant because people will want to drive their own vehicle,” he said.
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