Malaysia and Hong Kong Come Together to Develop an Economic Hub Near Singapore Border
Hong Kong is teaming up with Malaysia to create an economic hub near the Singapore border — in the south of Johor. The news comes as Malaysia seeks to further expand the development potential of the land to an upcoming cross-border rail link.
The Malaysian Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the visit of Hong Kong Chief Executive Mr John Lee to Malaysia. This agreement aims to develop 2.4 hectares of mixed-use land in Singapore’s Bukit Chagar, with an estimated value of RM3 billion (SGD 878 million). This site is situated less than 1 kilometre from the Malaysia-Singapore border. It is also the location of the Bukit Chagar station, currently under construction as part of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System, also known as ‘RTS’.
Optimism Everywhere
The mixed-use development project is expected to boost the area. MRT Chief Executive Mohd Zarif Hashim mentioned this during a briefing, stating it would become an attractive destination for local and international investors. Launched in 2018, construction for the RTS project was initially supposed to begin in 2019, with an expected completion date set for December 2024. The committee chairman for works, transportation, and infrastructure, Mr Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, has reported that the progress of the rail project is now at 41%.
He mentioned that progress on the project’s three key components—the depot, station, and marine viaduct—was going well. Expected to be completed by 2026, the RTS project will significantly improve connectivity by serving up to 10,000 passengers each hour in both directions. The biggest goal of this project is to alleviate traffic congestion at one of the world’s busiest land border crossings between Malaysia and Singapore. This rail link will span 4 kilometres and include two stations: Bukit Chagar in Johor and Woodlands in Singapore.
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