JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Hyperlink is 90% full, with launch set for January 2027. Heavy building is completed, and system set up is underway. Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed testing begins later this yr, whereas fare proposals are anticipated by yr‑finish. Every day ridership might attain 40,000 commuters.
Social media customers have voiced concern over the Johor Bahru facet of the RTS Hyperlink, criticising its lack of pedestrian‑pleasant design. A speedy transit system is supposed to prioritise walkability and effectivity, but Malaysians typically encounter MRT stations remoted from residential areas, making accessibility a recurring frustration.
On X, one citizen criticised the RTS challenge’s massive finances, arguing it “fails” to know the fundamentals of human accessibility and luxury. As an example his level, he shared an AI‑generated photograph displaying how the Johor station might look if designed with passenger comfort and pedestrian‑pleasant options in thoughts.
Furthermore, one other mentioned that the Johor Bahru RTS station design just isn’t pedestrian-friendly as planners are choosing extra “spaghetti junctions.” The remark highlights Malaysia’s broader difficulty of automobile‑centric city planning, which extends past Johor Bahru to most main cities, significantly Kuala Lumpur, the place walkability stays restricted.
Additionally, one other predicted that the Johor Bahru facet of the RTS might descend right into a “third world” chaotic mess. He argued that Malaysia should study from Singapore’s instance, the place accessibility and walkability are prioritised, to make sure the challenge delivers true commuter comfort slightly than automobile‑centric congestion.
Following that, it’s mentioned that the majority Malaysians are “lazy” to stroll round neighbourhoods and the city centre. A grievance states that the straightforward entry to automobiles and having literal highways in neighbourhoods has normalised Malaysians to rely utterly on their automobiles. Having inexpensive second-hand automobiles is probably a contributing issue to such architectural designs.
Such automobile‑centric designs are unlikely to alter in Malaysia anytime quickly, as convincing a complete technology to desert reliance on automobiles might be troublesome. Whereas hypothesis continues in regards to the Johor Bahru RTS station’s accessibility, its true impression on commuters and concrete movement will solely be clear as soon as it formally opens.
