JB-Singapore RTS Link to drive Johor’s retail sector growth

The Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is anticipated to bring positive changes to Johor’s retail sector.

It is expected to result in increased commercial activity and improved public transport services in the region.

Prof Dr Muhammad Zaly Shah Muhammad Hussein, Deputy Dean at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia‘s Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, sheds light on the potential spillover effects.

Positive spillover from Singapore

Prof Dr Muhammad Zaly notes the anticipated positive spillover from the influx of Singaporean tourists using the RTS to cross the Strait of Johor.

He highlights the areas around the RTS construction zone and the city centre as focal points for commercial development and retail growth.

“This is the effect of the overflow of visitors or tourists from Singapore to Johor Bahru,” he says, underscoring the direct impact on the retail sector.

RTS as a catalyst for public transport

Emphasising the importance of improving the public transport sector, Prof Dr Muhammad Zaly, who also serves as the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Malaysia president, stresses the need for quality service levels.

He sees the RTS as a catalyst for the transformation of Johor’s public transport sector. The integration of the RTS with existing public transport systems, particularly through Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Complexes, is considered crucial for attracting visitors from Singapore.

“The Johor Public Transport Corporation (PAJ), as the agency that regulates public transport planning in Johor, has a precise plan to integrate the RTS with the existing public transport system in the state,” explains Muhammad Zaly.

He anticipates that the RTS will not only alleviate congestion but also enhance operations at CIQ BSI and KSAB.

The RTS Link project, a four-kilometre rail network connecting Bukit Chagar Station in Johor and Woodlands North Station in Singapore, is slated for completion by December 2026.

The project is expected to draw 35% of the 350,000 daily travellers passing through the Johor Causeway, offering a promising outlook for both Johor’s retail and public transport sectors.