HSR and RTS Discussion

[snowbird]

MALAYSIA and Singapore are expected to sign a bilateral agreement for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project in December, which will improve travel between the island republic and Johor.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said several matters on the RTS were discussed during the 13th meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Minis-terial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia. According to the Singa-pore Straits Times, the service will start by Dec 31, 2024.

It was attended by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Singapore Infrastructure and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan and Singapore National Deve-lopment Minister Lawrence Wong, and was held at a hotel here yesterday.

Abdul Rahman said that the meeting was fruitful as both sides now have a better understanding of the RTS link.

“There were several technical matters that both sides agreed on during the meeting, such as the concession payment for the RTS where 61% will go to Singapore and 39% to Malaysia.

“The reason behind Singapore getting a higher percentage is that the cost for them to build the RTS line is higher compared to Malay-sia’s portion.

“The stations there will be built underground,” he added.

He said Malaysia asked to be a majority shareholder in the setting- up of a joint operating company to design, build, finance, operate, maintain and renew the link’s operating assets, but Singapore’s representatives said they needed to discuss the matter with their agencies.

“Singapore also informed us that they would be upgrading the Wood-lands Checkpoint to increase overall clearance capacity to ease congestion and enhance security.

“This will allow more KTM train trips between Singapore and Johor Baru, and we are also looking at providing better safety for pedestrians coming from both sides of the Causeway,” he said.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nati...eal-on-rail-travel-to-jb/#lWsURzC8YMDbe2i3.99

Actually there is nothing much to be happy about for now as the bilateral agreement is only "expected to be signed in December".
Quite sure SG will not commit anything financial obligation that is legally binding until after the General Election in MY.
Before that, all these preliminaries, MOU, etc. announcements for the HSR and the RTS actually means nothing.
However, MY need plenty of such positive news prior the coming general election.

And talking about obligations, the news just came out that MY had missed the payment of US$603 million to IPIC, Abu Dhabi today.
This obligation, which was due on July 31, is half the amount 1MDB and the Malaysian finance ministry agreed to make to IPIC, with a second payment by the end of 2017.
When the Ministry of Finance, which is obliged to pay can miss the payment dateline, this has a serious impact on the country's credibility and the world is watching.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...id-to-have-missed-603-million-payment-to-ipic

 

[snowbird]

Johor Sultan expresses serious reservations over Rapid Transit System Link design and proposed bridge

Seems like it's back to the drawing board for the proposed RTS from Woodlands to JB.
And its not only just on the overall design and alignment of the RTS but also the joint venture agreement details.
So, it looks like there's going to be some delay to the proposed signing of agreement by this year end.

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se...ions-over-rts-link-design-and-proposed-bridge

 

[Jetstream]

Habis lah like that. Can kiss the 2024 operational date goodbye

 

[cow138]

Bridge also so much problem.
Luckily singapore and Malaysia went separate ways.

 

[FHBH12]

PM Najib unveils concept designs for KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail stations
17 Oct 2017 04:50PM

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...t-designs-for-kl-singapore-high-speed-9318050

 

[FHBH12]

Bus Rapid Transit to serve as Iskandar Malaysia public transportation backbone
October 7, 2017 @ 1:17pm

"I was informed that the BRT will have elements of light rail transit or metro, which would make it quicker than regular bus services.

"We will ensure that the BRT system would be linked to the Rail Transit System (RTS), the High Speed Rail (HSR) and intercity bus service," said Najib at the project launch today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/...andar-malaysia-public-transportation-backbone

 

[rotikok]

Bus Rapid Transit to serve as Iskandar Malaysia public transportation backbone
October 7, 2017 @ 1:17pm

"I was informed that the BRT will have elements of light rail transit or metro, which would make it quicker than regular bus services.

"We will ensure that the BRT system would be linked to the Rail Transit System (RTS), the High Speed Rail (HSR) and intercity bus service," said Najib at the project launch today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/...andar-malaysia-public-transportation-backbone

Highly doubt it will be on time. NO detailed engineering study done, maybe 10 years also cant habis.

Phase 1 three lines. Iskandar puteri line a bit unnecessary at this stage.

 

[snowbird]

Bus Rapid Transit to serve as Iskandar Malaysia public transportation backbone
October 7, 2017 @ 1:17pm

"I was informed that the BRT will have elements of light rail transit or metro, which would make it quicker than regular bus services.

"We will ensure that the BRT system would be linked to the Rail Transit System (RTS), the High Speed Rail (HSR) and intercity bus service," said Najib at the project launch today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/...andar-malaysia-public-transportation-backbone

What exactly is this "Bus rapid Transit or BRT" thingy all about?
Not even a tiny bit of detail, nothing.

Whatever the govt. announced but showed very little details, it actually means very little or worse, nothing.
Just like that PR1MA housing program announced during the Budget 2013.
It promised that a total of 625,000 affordable homes will be built for the lower/middle income all over the country.
But to date, 4 years later, only 1332 units were build and no good reasons for the totally dismal shortfall.
There are no proposed building program, no proposed work schedules, no major land acquisition activities, nothing, then how to build 625,000 new homes?
Its easy to make announcement, especially near Election time because it cost nothing to do so

 

[FHBH12]

Malaysia to call tender for KL-S'pore HSR works

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-call-tender-for-kl-spore-hsr-works?xtor=CS11-86

 

[snowbird]

Malaysia to call tender for KL-S'pore HSR works

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-call-tender-for-kl-spore-hsr-works?xtor=CS11-86

Basically, there will be 2 major tenders to be called, one for the civil infrastructure which includes the rail line and the various stations within Malaysia.
There other tender will be for the systems and the trains.

Both tenders are expected to be completed next year but again, with no proposed timeline.
However, there is still a major outstanding problem unresolved - the TRX City in KL which also houses the proposed HSR terminal.
After the development contract was terminated earlier this year, nothing at all is happening, no new tender invitation, no new proposal, nothing.
Perhaps only after the General Election, which must be held by Aug next year then things will be much clearer
Otherwise all these pre-election feel good announcement means nothing.

 

[snowbird]

The HSR line on the Malaysian side, from JB to KL is about 350km long and runs through 6 major towns.
The problem is until now, the actual full rail alignment is still not announced to the public.
Recently, some residents were rudely surprised to discovered that their homes may be acquired for the HSR development.
One is in Kajang, Selangor and another in Malacca.
Expect many more such "surprising news" in time to come.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/407093
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/407019

Land acquisition is a very tedious and complicated work whereby there'll be compensation problems to settle, resettlement problems, etc. and takes time.
One classic example was the EDL Highway from JB city to Tebrau.
The 8km long ground level regular highway was proposed in 2004, started construction in 2007 and only completed in 2012.
8 years for a highway only 8 km long.
Land acquisition and resettlement was one of the main issue that causes the delay.
So, with the HSR line being 350km long and running through several towns' urban area, expect the complication in land acquisition / settlement exercise to add further delays to the final completion date.

 

[snowbird]

The development of TRX City is now a gone case, so no more KL terminal for the HSR.
The new Malaysian government now insist that the proposed HSR project be seriously scrutinized and studied and also to be renegotiated with SG over the previous agreements.
Can throw all those MOUs signed into the dustbin.
With Dr M in charge, SG will surely be made to pay a lot more if ever the HSR project takes off.
But one thing is definite, the project will be delayed indefinitely.

 

[eatshitndie]

it may happen but not in our lifetime. hsr's are great within national boundaries and for cuntries with much geography to cover. for a tiny cuntry like sg, it just doesn't make sense, even as an end-terminal. it's a lost cause from the start and will never be useful nor beneficial unless sg waives current immigration and customs checkpoint procedures and replaces them with pre-ticketing, pre-boarding and in-transit, in-station, in-train immigration and customs clearance. going over 200 kmph from kl to sg but coming to a screeching halt at jb for immigration and customs before proceeding to sg is not what hsr experts will regard as "hsr". it makes sense going over 200 kmph from kl to jb. from jb to sg with border checkpoint in the middle, it's more efficient and appropriate to use multiple lines of light rail or mrt going at 80 kmph starting from woodlands to the rest of the island. the final hsr stop should be in jb unless both cuntries do away with immigration and customs like in some parts of europe. hsr, as a standalone project just for peninsula malaysia will be beneficial not only for the economic corridor along the west coast but also for far flung towns and cities in more rural states such as kelantan, trengganu, pahang on the east coast. it will spur development all around peninsula malaysia and bring many areas to the 21st century.

 

[snowbird]

Read all my posts on the proposed SIN/KL HSR and the Woodlands/JB RTS line, I had be extremely skeptical on the fruition of this 2 projects.
Now for sure, everything will be shelved and nothing much will happen at least in the next 2 years.
The new MY govt. will be very busy trying to fulfil their election promises and cleaning up the financial mess left behind by the previous govt.
Many people will be going to jail for mega corruption charges especially in the 1MDB case, FELDA, MARA, etc.

 

[snowbird]

Now we can kiss the HSR goodbye, at least for the time being.
Today, Dr M announced that the HSR to be scrapped.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/nati...dropped/ar-AAxUBep?li=AAaD62f&ocid=spartandhp

However, with Dr M in charge, I'm quite sure he has other plans in his mind when he mentioned that : “We have an agreement with Singapore. We have to talk with Singapore about dropping that project.”
He knows very well SG and China would like very much to proceed with this project, furthermore, the HSR is an important portion in China's ambitious One Road One Belt .
So, he may even offer SG/China to build it but they totally finance the project while MY may just lease the land at certain terms and conditions to construct the HSR.
In the end, MY gets the free HSR together with all the economical benefits it brings with having to spend a cent.
Possible??

 

[enjoylife77]

The relocation of Tanjong Pagar's CIQ to Woodlands finally took 19 years to complete even though both PM signed agreement to do so back then. What more can both Singaporean and Malaysian expect with such mega project. Be sceptical of the RTS link to the TEL running in 2024.

 

[snowbird]

The relocation of Tanjong Pagar's CIQ to Woodlands finally took 19 years to complete even though both PM signed agreement to do so back then. What more can both Singaporean and Malaysian expect with such mega project. Be sceptical of the RTS link to the TEL running in 2024.

The RTS is actually a non-event as far as Putrajaya is concerned. There were very little discussion at federal level on this project so far. Putrajaya had already announced that all mega projects will held back and be thoroughly studied so this RTS most likely will also be scrapped officially soon.
Moreover, this project benefits only the Johor state so it don't make sense for the whole federation of states to help finance it. However, if Johor is able to finance it herself without Putrajaya's financial contribution, the RTS may materialized though chance is extremely slim. So in the end it's just another talk only no action project that made many not too smart people very happy and hopeful for the last few years.

 

[enjoylife77]

Fortunately or unfortunately the plans surrounding the 2 mega projects HSR and RTS did help sold RM$ Billions worth of properties for the real estate developers to foreign buyers, majority from Singapore with the intention of flipping.

 

[sunriver]

ST 29-May-2018: "New Johor Menteri Besar to visit Singapore soon"

Quote
But Mr Osman is not able to comment on whether the cross-border Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System, or RTS Link, project inked in January between the governments of both countries will be built or scrapped. The 4km line is expected to improve connectivity and reduce congestion. "I don't have the latest feedback, I've been in office only less than three weeks. Once I get more details then I can comment on that," he said.
Unquote.

 

[Jetstream]

On the RTS, I personally think it won’t be shelved, although it may be delayed due to further reviews. If there’s no finance issue, this project is more politically beneficial to the govt of the day. Unlike the HSR which is more perhaps a ‘luxury project’ with glam appeal for business and leisure travel; the ordinary people don’t really see it as a necessity. The RTS on the other hand serves the many thousands of ordinary working-class Malaysians commuting daily to Singapore to eke out a living.