Wednesday 27 May 2015

Heavy traffic expected at Tuas, Woodlands checkpoints

Heavy traffic expected at Tuas, Woodlands checkpoints over Vesak Day weekend



The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issued an advisory to warn travellers to expect delays at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

If you are planning to drive to Malaysia for the upcoming long weekend, plan for heavy traffic.

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issued an advisory to warn travellers to expect delays at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

Traffic leaving Singapore will be especially heavy on May 29 and May 30. Traffic entering Singapore will be heavy on June 1.

The ICA said that with security checks, traffic build-up is inevitable and urged travellers to adjust travel plans.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Wednesday 6 May 2015

New deadline for High Speed Rail project

New deadline for High Speed Rail project

Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to re-assess the initial target of a 2020 deadline to complete High Speed Rail Project (HSR) connecting both countries, given its complexity and scale.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the development of the project will take five years, while the tender and design processes will take a year each, thus it would push the initial target of 2020 further.


"Bilateral issues on the matter will be settled by the year's end, and we will announce a new deadline for the project," Najib told reporters during a joint press conference between Najib and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong at the Malaysia-Singapore Sixth Leaders Retreat today.


Lee also announced that the HSR terminus for the Singapore's side will be located in Jurong East which is being developed by the republic as its next central business district.  


The announcement follows Malaysia's announcement last year that the HSR project on its side will start from Bandar Malaysia in Sungai Besi.




Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (L) and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (R) attend a joint press conference after a meeting at a hotel in Singapore. Najib is here on a two-day visit for the 6th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' retreat.


~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

MRT link to Johor Baru unlikely before 2020

MRT link to Johor Baru unlikely before 2020



50 YEARS OF SINGAPORE-MALAYSIA TIES: The Malaysian delegation (left) led by PM Najib Razak (wearing red tie) and the Singapore delegation (right), led by PM Lee Hsien Loong, at the Shangri-La Hotel yesterday. 

Hopping onto an MRT train and arriving in Johor Baru is unlikely to be a reality before 2020, as Malaysia has yet to determine a station site for its end of the line.

This Rapid Transit System link was first announced by Singapore and Malaysia in May 2010, and was initially targeted to be ready by 2018.

This was pushed to 2019 when Singapore decided to lengthen the Thomson Line - to which the cross-border MRT line will link.

Rail construction experts said even if work started today, the line would be completed by 2020 at the earliest. But work is unlikely to start any time soon because no decision has yet been made on where the JB station will be.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~