1. Great things are happening in the south. Concrete pylons are rising across the Selat Tebrau.

2. Soon 40,000 passengers will ride on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) every day from Woodlands in Singapore to Bukit Chagar in Johor.

3. We don’t hear much report on this project locally. But of course it cannot be built without the Malaysian Government approval.

4. Of course we should approve. We always approve projects by Singapore.

5. But Singapore does not approve our proposal for the replacement of the causeway with a bridge.

6. If a bridge is built it would be possible for barges and boats to ply between Pasir Gudang port and Tanjung Pelepas.

7. Currently sailing from Pasir Gudang to Tanjung Pelepas is four times longer than direct sailing along Selat Tebrau.

8. This is of course not the reason why Singapore is against replacing the causeway with a bridge. But the fact remains that as long as the causeway is there it will not be possible to sail along Tebrau from Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas.

9. And now the RTS link will cross Selat Tebrau on elevated tracks. It does not seem to be designed for ships to sail between the pylons as with Penang bridge.

10. So even if the causeway is dismantled, movement along the straits between Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas will not be possible.

11. Maybe now Singapore might look kindly at Malaysian proposal for the dismantling of the causeway and replacement by the bridge.

12. In the meantime we can all enjoy Singapore hospitality on the four kilometre ride on the RTS.