500 km MRT for Iskandar Malaysia

Iskandar Region Development Authority (IRDA) was reported to proposed a 500km Mass Rapid Transit in Iskandar Malaysia, Southern Johore. The project, if it was approved by the Malaysian cabinet would likely to be build in 6 phases, with the first phases to be operational by 2020.

The project might be the one that is proposed by the joint-venture company between Malaysia Steel Works (KL) Bhd and KUB Malaysia Bhd. The joint-venture company, Metropolitan Commuter Network Sdn Bhd, is reported proposing for a world-class commuter rail network, which will utilize the existing Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) lines in southern Johore area as well as its reserve lands.

The Malaysian government had given the go ahead for a MRT line in the Klang Valley region, which is likely to start in July this year. The Sungai Buloh - Kajang line, which is about 51 kilometres length, and would likely to cost at least RM20 billion for the first line. The entire MRT ecosystem in KL was slated for a price tag at least RM50 billion for a comprehensive MRT lines of 150 kilometres.

Even though the land price in Southern Johore (not including Johor Bahru city area) is much lower than that in the Klang Valley, it is safe to say that the 500 km MRT projects would costs at least a whopping RM100 billion to say the least, considering that less land acquisitions to be made compared with the KL MRT projects, and that the project manager will utilize the existing KTMB's lines and land reserves.

The project might be a catalyst for more liberalization of the construction and infrastructure sector in Malaysia, as it was reported earlier that Singapore would help the Iskandar Malaysia to put in place MRT lines in the economic zone. This is due to the KTMB relinquishing its lands in Singapore (the relocation of KTM stations in Tanjung Pagar and Woodlands in Singapore) to the government of Singapore.

More details of the project and studies should be made in order for Iskandar Malaysia to have an orderly systematical mass public transportation system, which would attract more people to reside there and fully optimize its potential to become a vibrant metropolis.

Dr Mahathir hits out Singapore

Malaysia does not sabotage Singapore by developing its own ports, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In his letter to Utusan Malaysia today, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia said that it is not wrong for an independent country like Malaysia and Indonesia to develop their own ports.

According to him, what Malaysia and Indonesia did was not an act of sabotaging the Singapore port, but as a competition to the latter.

Singapore's Port operation is said to be affected by the growing and fast developing ports on southern Johore, such as the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) and the Johor Port at Pasir Gudang.

PTP for instance, set the world record as the fastest growing port with 1 million twenty foot equivalent unit (TEU) in just 571 days of operation in 2000. This is due to its strategic location which is on the busy sea lanes of which the Port of Singapore derived its growth.

Previously, there was also call from MMC Corp, a power-to-ports conglomerate which owns both ports (Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas) to the government for a consolidation between the operation of both ports. According to persons who are informed with the proposal, the consolidated operation between both ports could pose a greater competition to Port of Singapore in the medium to long term.

PTP and Johore Port could become the alternative choice to Port of Singapore based on their competitive rates and efficient container handling and throughput. This is reaffirmed by the growing sea liners which opted to dock at PTP such as MAERSK, Evergreen and CMA-CGM, which are three of the world largest sea liners.

The government should play more roles in promoting PTP and Johore Port as the choice ports in South East Asia. More investments should be injected into expanding the ports berthing facility and also for increasing the connectivity between the ports to the rest of Asia.

With the area of southern Johore being gazetted as the next growth region for the country through the implementation of the Iskandar Development Region (IDR), there are much more potential for both ports to expand and increased in prominence as the next international port destination in Asia.