ID :
61932
Fri, 05/22/2009 - 18:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/61932
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA PROPOSES THIRD BRIDGE LINK TO SINGAPORE
By Zakaria Abdul Wahab
SINGAPORE, May 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has proposed to Singapore that a new
bridge be built to link the eastern side of Johor to the island republic.
The new bridge will help to further facilitate the movement of people and
goods and services between both countries, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak said at a joint media conference with his Singapore counterpart
Lee Hsien Loong here Friday.
Najib, who is here since Thursday for a two-day official visit to the
city-state, said the new bridge would also help to develop the eastern side of
Johor such as areas in Pengerang, including Desaru, which were still less
developed and had huge economic potential.
He said the current linkages, such as the Johor Causeway, were having a high
volume of traffic and had affected the smooth movement of people and goods
between both the neighbouring countries.
Both sides agreed to look at the proposal in the medium and long term and
also agreed to commission a study to look at the bridge viability, Najib said,
adding that the new bridge proposal was one of the outcomes of their bilateral
meeting to further enhance the close cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore.
The Malaysian delegation included Foreign Minister Anifah Aman,
Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, International Trade and Industry
Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nor
Mohamad Yakcop and Johor Chief Minister Abdul Ghani Othman.
Najib also said he proposed that a wellness centre be set up in the
Iskandar
Malaysia development area in Johor as an iconic investment that would showcase
the growing cooperation between the two countries.
The prime minister said the wellness centre would appeal to not only
Singaporeans but also Malaysians and foreign visitors as going for spas, medical
treatment, homeopathy and herbal treatment was the "in" thing to many people
now.
Najib said that as part of another iconic investment, Lee proposed that a
new township for mixed development be opened so that Singaporeans could have
more flexibility to invest or relocate their businesses in Singapore to Iskandar
Malaysia.
Saying that Iskandar Malaysia had progressed so much since it was launched
in 2006 and had attracted about RM42.6 billion in investments, Najib said he
hoped to see more participation from Singaporeans in the southern development
corridor.
Najib also said that Malaysia had agreed to Singapore’s request to open a
counsellor's office in Johor Baharu to assist Singaporeans in need of assistance
there.
Lee had said that an increasing number of Singaporeans were now going to or
passing through Johor and there was no one to assist them if they were in
trouble as he personally experienced it when Singaporeans started calling him
for help when they were stuck there.
Najib also said that to further enhance their relations, both governments
had agreed to encourage more air linkages between the two countries, especially
by the low-cost carriers.
On security, Lee again thanked the Malaysian authorities for recapturing
Singapore’s most wanted fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari, the suspected leader of
the Jemaah Islamiah militant group, in Johor last month.
However, to a question, Najib said there was no timeline as to when Mas
Selamat would be returned to Singapore but the authorities here would be kept
abreast of the information or intelligence gathered by the Malaysian side.
Najib said his discussion with Lee today was good and it was another step in
the Malaysia-Singapore relationship.
Both Najib and Lee hoped that the old legacy of problems they inherited in
the last 18 years could be solved as soon as possible.
"We don’t have to wait for another 18 years to solve these problems," Najib
said referring to the Points of Agreement that deals with the issue of the
future of railway land owned by Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu) in
Singapore.
Najib said the foreign ministers of both countries would meet to study
further the matter and hoped that it could be solved in a "win-win situation"
for both sides.
After the news conference, Najib left for Friday prayers at the Sultan
Mosque, Singapore’s oldest, in Arab Street.
-- BERNAMA
SINGAPORE, May 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has proposed to Singapore that a new
bridge be built to link the eastern side of Johor to the island republic.
The new bridge will help to further facilitate the movement of people and
goods and services between both countries, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak said at a joint media conference with his Singapore counterpart
Lee Hsien Loong here Friday.
Najib, who is here since Thursday for a two-day official visit to the
city-state, said the new bridge would also help to develop the eastern side of
Johor such as areas in Pengerang, including Desaru, which were still less
developed and had huge economic potential.
He said the current linkages, such as the Johor Causeway, were having a high
volume of traffic and had affected the smooth movement of people and goods
between both the neighbouring countries.
Both sides agreed to look at the proposal in the medium and long term and
also agreed to commission a study to look at the bridge viability, Najib said,
adding that the new bridge proposal was one of the outcomes of their bilateral
meeting to further enhance the close cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore.
The Malaysian delegation included Foreign Minister Anifah Aman,
Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, International Trade and Industry
Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nor
Mohamad Yakcop and Johor Chief Minister Abdul Ghani Othman.
Najib also said he proposed that a wellness centre be set up in the
Iskandar
Malaysia development area in Johor as an iconic investment that would showcase
the growing cooperation between the two countries.
The prime minister said the wellness centre would appeal to not only
Singaporeans but also Malaysians and foreign visitors as going for spas, medical
treatment, homeopathy and herbal treatment was the "in" thing to many people
now.
Najib said that as part of another iconic investment, Lee proposed that a
new township for mixed development be opened so that Singaporeans could have
more flexibility to invest or relocate their businesses in Singapore to Iskandar
Malaysia.
Saying that Iskandar Malaysia had progressed so much since it was launched
in 2006 and had attracted about RM42.6 billion in investments, Najib said he
hoped to see more participation from Singaporeans in the southern development
corridor.
Najib also said that Malaysia had agreed to Singapore’s request to open a
counsellor's office in Johor Baharu to assist Singaporeans in need of assistance
there.
Lee had said that an increasing number of Singaporeans were now going to or
passing through Johor and there was no one to assist them if they were in
trouble as he personally experienced it when Singaporeans started calling him
for help when they were stuck there.
Najib also said that to further enhance their relations, both governments
had agreed to encourage more air linkages between the two countries, especially
by the low-cost carriers.
On security, Lee again thanked the Malaysian authorities for recapturing
Singapore’s most wanted fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari, the suspected leader of
the Jemaah Islamiah militant group, in Johor last month.
However, to a question, Najib said there was no timeline as to when Mas
Selamat would be returned to Singapore but the authorities here would be kept
abreast of the information or intelligence gathered by the Malaysian side.
Najib said his discussion with Lee today was good and it was another step in
the Malaysia-Singapore relationship.
Both Najib and Lee hoped that the old legacy of problems they inherited in
the last 18 years could be solved as soon as possible.
"We don’t have to wait for another 18 years to solve these problems," Najib
said referring to the Points of Agreement that deals with the issue of the
future of railway land owned by Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu) in
Singapore.
Najib said the foreign ministers of both countries would meet to study
further the matter and hoped that it could be solved in a "win-win situation"
for both sides.
After the news conference, Najib left for Friday prayers at the Sultan
Mosque, Singapore’s oldest, in Arab Street.
-- BERNAMA
