JOHOR BAHRU – Before dawn last Tuesday (Aug 5), more than 100 people were already queueing at a modest bus station in Gelang Patah, a suburban town in southwest Johor.
When a yellow Causeway Link bus pulled in, the sleepy-eyed crowd shuffled forward. Those at the front boarded until the bus was packed to capacity, leaving many behind to wait for the next one.
“This is normal during the morning rush,” said Kevin Foh, a Gelang Patah resident in his 30s who works in Singapore’s retail sector. “Sometimes you have to wait two or three buses before you can get on—if you’re lucky.”
The half-football-field-sized terminal is a lifeline for thousands of Malaysians from areas like Pontian, Iskandar Puteri, and Kulai, who commute to Singapore daily via the Tuas Second Link. Unlike the Woodlands Causeway, the Second Link has no train shuttle or pedestrian crossing—buses are the only viable public transport option.
Against this backdrop, Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi recently floated a proposal for a second Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Tuas and Iskandar Puteri, aiming to boost cross-border mobility.
“In line with the royal decree of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, I presented several strategic proposals, including an RTS2 system linking Tuas and Iskandar Puteri,” Onn Hafiz posted on Facebook on Jul 31, following a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Details such as the exact station locations were not disclosed. Iskandar Puteri, roughly half the size of Singapore, stretches north from the Second Link and includes Puteri Harbour, Gelang Patah, Bukit Indah, and the Forest City development.
Foh welcomed the idea. “I’d just take a taxi to the RTS station in Iskandar Puteri instead of coming here, then hop on the train to Singapore—less waiting, less queueing,” he said. “The RTS in central JB will help some people, but it’s too far for those of us in the west.”
The first Johor–Singapore RTS Link, connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North in Singapore, is slated to open in December 2026. Rail system installation was 56% complete as of June. But with Bukit Chagar 25 km from Gelang Patah—a two-hour bus ride during peak hours—the west remains underserved.
Analysts say an RTS2 could significantly benefit commuters in southwest Johor and Singapore, while revitalising Iskandar Puteri, which is part of the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Still, they caution that Iskandar Puteri and Tuas currently lack strong last-mile connectivity and integration with existing networks. They also question whether passenger demand would justify the construction cost, despite apparent political will from the Johor government and royal family.
CNA has reached out to Singapore’s Ministry of Transport and Onn Hafiz’s office for comment.
Source: CNA
