The Malaysian and Singaporean governments have agreed to extend the deadline for a decision on the deferred Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) to the end of October.

“Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to extend the deadline to decide on the RTS Link project by a period of one month to Oct 31, without any additional cost,” the Transport Ministry said in a statement today.

The 4km RTS link is intended to connect Woodlands North Station on Singapore's Thomson-East Coast MRT Line to Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru.

It was initially targetted to begin operations by year-end of 2024.

However, it was deferred for six months to the end of September at the behest of the Malaysian government.

This was as the new Pakatan Harapan government had been on a cost-saving exercise since assuming office, with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad stating the government would study the project to determine its benefits to the country.

Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke and his Singaporean counterpart Khaw Boon Wan had in May inked a supplemental agreement to suspend the railway project from April 1 to Sept 30.

The suspension reportedly cost Putrajaya an RM2 million deferment fee to Singapore.

On May 4, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar offered his Bukit Chagar land parcel in Johor Bahru for the construction of the link project without the need for compensation.

The ruler was responding to news alleging the project cost had increased due to compensation for the land, adding he was not informed the land had been part of the proposed project.