JOHOR BAHRU, July 31 — The Johor government has proposed the construction of a second Rapid Transit System (RTS2) link connecting Iskandar Puteri in Johor and Tuas in Singapore to further strengthen cross-border mobility.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi raised the proposal with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during a one-hour official meeting at The Istana in Singapore today.
“In line with the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail’s decree, I have put forward several strategic proposals including connecting Tuas to Iskandar Puteri via the RTS2 system,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page.
The meeting also touched on a range of matters concerning bilateral cooperation between Johor and Singapore.
Onn Hafiz said the meeting was not only a symbol of the strong ties between the two neighbours but also a reflection of their shared commitment to elevate Johor-Singapore collaboration to a more strategic and holistic level.
“During the discussion, I shared the progress of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), including the role of the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor (IMFC-J), which is now the key facilitator for investment and policy coordination.
“To date, Johor has received more than 577 investment enquiries, with 70 investors showing serious interest — including 11 companies referred directly by the Singapore investment agency,” he said.
He also highlighted Johor’s economic performance, citing RM30.1 billion in investments for the first quarter of the year and a 6.4 per cent economic growth rate — the highest in Malaysia.
“This shows investors’ confidence in Johor as a strong, stable and strategic investment destination,” he added.
Onn Hafiz said Wong welcomed the JS-SEZ’s progress and expressed positive views on the potential for expanded collaboration in energy, regional logistics and other bilateral areas.
“The Singapore prime minister appreciates Johor’s continued efforts to ensure a fair and competitive labour market, while expressing his openness to examining the proposals put forward constructively.
“Overall, the discussions were very positive and I am confident that this meeting will open a new chapter in Johor-Singapore bilateral relations,” he said.
