Lester Kong Straits Times 5 Oct 11;
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Singapore are seeking a consultant to undertake an engineering study for a rapid transit system linking Johor Baru and Singapore, Singapore's Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said here yesterday.
'Both countries will put out a tender at the same time so companies in Malaysia and Singapore can respond. The joint (Malaysian-Singapore) team will evaluate and pick one company,' Mr Lui told reporters after meeting his Malaysian counterpart Kong Cho Ha.
The study will be done in two phases, Mr Lui said. The company awarded the tender, to be called sometime this quarter, will have 11 months to complete the first part.
Under Phase One, the project consultant will take about five months to look at the different options, and the difficulties, challenges and opportunities associated with each one. It then has about six months to prepare a report for the joint committee.
As for Phase Two, Mr Lui said: 'We will meet at the joint committee level to pick one option for the consultant to go into detailed engineering study which we expect, due to the complexity of the project, to take another 18 months.'
The minister, who was making a one-day introductory visit to Malaysia, said the rapid transit project was 'on time and on track'.
'Overall, the pro gress is good. The relationship (between Malaysia and Singapore) is strong. My coming up here to meet Datuk Seri Kong is to affirm the cooperation that we have had,' he said.
Mr Kong said Malaysia would prefer to build the link close to the Causeway and as an undersea tunnel 'to free up the space above the water'.
'(But) this will depend on the outcome of the study. Singapore may have some reservations... we are open to discussion,' he said after meeting Mr Lui.
The rapid transit link is expected to run from a station near JB Sentral on the Johor side to one near Republic Polytechnic in Woodlands.
The two ministers agreed that cooperation on transport issues was progressing well under both countries' prime ministers.
'There are a good number of things that are ongoing, particularly the rapid transit system,' Mr Lui said.
'The benefit is being felt, like the reduction of toll charges at the Second Link. In the last few months, we have seen a shift in traffic in that direction, about 8 to 10 per cent.'
Mr Lui also met Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission; Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of economic planning; and Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, Minister of Information, Communications and Culture.
Singapore, Malaysia to call tender for engineering study for rapid transit link
Melissa Goh Channel NewsAsia 4 Oct 11;
KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore and Malaysia will soon call a tender for engineering studies for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) which will connect Johor Bahru and the island republic.
Engineering companies from both sides of the Causeway will be invited to take part in the tender.
Singapore's Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said this during his one-day introductory visit to Malaysia on Tuesday.
His trip follows closely on a series of introductory visits to Malaysia by Singapore Cabinet ministers in recent weeks.
Mr Lui met his Malaysian counterpart Kong Cho Ha at the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya for almost an hour.
Both ministers updated each other on the progress of the Rapid Transit System, which is part of the land swap agreement signed by both countries in June to free up Malaysian railway land in Singapore for joint development.
Mr Lui said: "That's coming along fine, it's on track. We are due to put out a tender for engineering studies in the fourth quarter of this year.
"The preparatory work has almost been done (and) a tender will be put out in both Malaysia and Singapore. We'll have a joint team to evaluate this and select a consultant."
According to Mr Lui, the study will be done in two phases. Under the first phase, which will take 11 months, an engineering consultant will be picked to look into all options available and advise both countries on difficulties and challenges under each option.
The joint ministerial committee will then decide on which option to go for before the second phase begins.
"Because of such complexities, it will take another 18 months thereafter once we decide on the option," added Mr Lui.
Malaysia said it prefers the RTS to be linked to Singapore via an undersea tunnel.
Mr Kong said: "Actually, we preferred a tunnel because that will free up space above the sea for other activities but (the decision) will depend on the outcome of the study. And also, we still have to agree on the implementation."
Apart from the RTS, Malaysia is also looking at building a high-speed rail link from the capital Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru.
-CNA/ac
Singapore, Malaysia to call tender for Rapid Transit System
by Melissa Goh Today Online 5 Oct 11;
KUALA LUMPUR - Singapore and Malaysia will soon call an engineering studies tender for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) which will connect the two countries.
Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, who is on a one-day introductory visit to Malaysia, said the tender for the project will be called in the fourth quarter of the year. Engineering companies from both sides of the Causeway will be invited to take part in the tender.
Mr Lui's visit follows closely on a series of introductory visits to Malaysia by Singapore Cabinet ministers in recent weeks.
He met for almost an hour with his Malaysian counterpart Kong Cho Ha at the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya.
Both ministers also updated each other on the progress of the RTS, which is part of the land swap agreement signed by both countries in June to free up Malaysian railway land in Singapore for joint development.
Said Mr Lui: "It's (RTS development) on track. We are due to put out a tender for engineering studies in the fourth quarter of this year. The preparatory work has almost been done (and) a tender will be put out in both Malaysia and Singapore. We'll have a joint team to evaluate this and select a consultant."
According to Mr Lui, the study will be done in two phases. Under the first phase, which takes 11 months, an engineering consultant will be picked to look into all options available and advise both countries on difficulties and challenges under each option.
The joint ministerial committee will then decide on which option to go for before the second phase begins.
"Because of such complexities, it will take another 18 months thereafter once we decide on the option," added Mr Lui.
Malaysia said it prefers the RTS to be linked to Singapore via an undersea tunnel.
Mr Kong said: "That will free up space above the sea for other activities but (the decision) will depend on the outcome of the study. And also, we still have to agree on the implementation."
Apart from the RTS, Malaysia is also looking at building a high-speed rail link from the capital Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru.
Singapore, Malaysia to call a tender for Rapid Transit System
Engineering firms from both countries can participate
Business Times 5 Oct 11;
SINGAPORE and Malaysia will soon call a tender for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) which will connect Johor Bahru and the island republic.
On a one-day introductory visit to Malaysia yesterday, Singapore Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said that engineering companies from both sides of the Causeway will be invited to participate in the tender. According to media reports, RAdm Lui, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, said that the rapid transit project was 'on time and on track', and that a tender for engineering studies will be called in the fourth quarter of this year.
'The preparatory work has almost been done (and) a tender will be put out in both Malaysia and Singapore. We'll have a joint team to evaluate this and select a consultant.'
RAdm Lui said that the study will be done in two phases. The first phase involves picking an engineering consultant to look into all options available for the construction of the system, and advise both countries on difficulties and challenges under each option. This will take 11 months.
The joint management committee will then decide which option to go for before the second phase begins. 'Because of such complexities, it will take another 18 months thereafter once we decide on the option,' RAdm Lui was quoted by Channel NewsAsia as saying.
RAdm Lui's visit follows a series of introductory visits to Malaysia by Singapore cabinet ministers in recent weeks. During the visit, he met with his Malaysian counterpart Kong Cho Ha at the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya. Mr Kong said that Malaysia prefers the RTS to be linked to Singapore via an undersea tunnel, which will free up space above the sea for other activities. Ultimately, however, the decision will depend on the outcome of the study, he said.
