Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia’s Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) has passed legislation on the rail link connecting the state of Johor with Singapore (Rapid Transit System-RTS Link Bill 2026), establishing the legal framework for operating a cross-border urban rail system.
The move is seen as a strategic solution to ease congestion at the Johor–Singapore Causeway while strengthening bilateral economic connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said with the RTS Link, the train journey will take only five minutes, with a regular schedule and a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour.
He said that the bill rests on three key pillars: empowering, complementing and protecting. Addressing concerns on legal immunity, Shamsul said Malaysian officers performing official duties in Singapore would enjoy immunity from prosecution in Singaporean courts for actions undertaken in their official capacity, while remaining subject to Malaysian law.
To support operations, Shamsul said 794 new positions had been created, involving the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA), the Customs Department and the police. Officers will be stationed at Bukit Chagar and Woodlands, with placements beginning on October 1.
To facilitate smooth clearance, he said 100 AI-enabled e-gates would be installed at both Bukit Chagar and Woodlands stations, allowing passenger processing in a maximum of sẻven seconds.
On data security, Shamsul said that all confidential data, including biometric information, will be stored in approved Malaysian government data centres under strict physical and cyber security controls. He said that data will not be transferred to foreign servers without official government approval./.
