SINGAPORE: Johor's priority is to complete the Rapid Transit System (RTS) linking Johor and Singapore before pursuing a third bridge, said its Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Speaking at the National University of Singapore Society's 70th Anniversary Lecture on Wednesday, he emphasised all efforts are in place to ensure the RTS, which is set transport to up to 10,000 passengers per hour, is fully operational by early 2027.
"RTS will be a game-changer, and it's crucial to make sure it works as planned before we explore the idea of a third bridge," he said.
"Singapore and Johor currently only have two major land connections - the century-old Johor Causeway and the Tuas Second Link.
Upon its operation, the RTS is anticipated to enhance cross-border connectivity, he told the audience.
"While the third bridge remains a topic of public interest, the Johor government is also exploring other options to improve connectivity, such as introducing car-bearing ferry services between Iskandar Putri and Tuas," he said.
The RTS project is expected to ease traffic congestion on the Causeway, which has long been a bottleneck for commuters travelling between Johor and Singapore.
Onn Hafiz also addressed the challenges faced by Singaporean drivers in obtaining the mandatory Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP).
He vowed to resolve the issue promptly.
On Sunday, the state Road Transport Department opened two new locations in Johor Baru for Singapore-registered vehicle owners to install their VEP tags, a move that will boost its capacity by five times.
The centres at Larkin and Taman Daya will speed up the VEP tag registration and VEP RFID installations by serving an additional 400 and 800 vehicles respectively daily.