Malaysia has approved 794 operational posts for the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link ahead of its Dec 31 launch and CIQ rollout.
PETALING JAYA: A total of 794 posts have been approved under the operational structure of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, as Malaysia prepares for the launch of what is expected to become the country’s busiest land entry point.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the positions involve 640 personnel under the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), 47 under the Customs Department and 107 under the police.
He said the manpower rollout is being implemented in phases to ensure full operational readiness ahead of the RTS Link’s scheduled launch on Dec 31.
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“In addition, 478 new officers will begin training at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Segamat from June 22 to Sept 27 before being deployed to the Sultan Iskandar Building and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex from Oct 1,” he told reporters after a site visit to the RTS project in Bukit Chagar, Johor, today.
Saifuddin also highlighted the co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) concept agreed upon between Malaysia and Singapore, which will see enforcement agencies from both countries operating within shared facilities in each other’s jurisdictions.
However, he said implementation of the arrangement requires enabling domestic legislation from both countries.
“We have completed our domestic legal process, which has been approved and is currently being gazetted. Singapore must also complete its legal framework before co-location can be implemented,” he said.
He added that technical discussions between both countries are ongoing to finalise standard operating procedures (SOPs), particularly involving immigration, security operations, incident management and emergency response.
Saifuddin said the RTS Link is not only a transport project but also a modernised border management system built on efficiency, technology and mutual trust between neighbouring countries.
“We will not compromise on law enforcement. There will be no tolerance for attempts to bypass checks or misuse the system,” he said.
He stressed that while the system is designed to ensure seamless travel and efficient processing, it will also strengthen real-time monitoring capabilities to detect and prevent threats such as human trafficking, smuggling and illegal entry.
“Taking into account the implementation of high-capacity technology to strengthen security screening at entry points, I urge all passengers, the public and users of this facility to cooperate with the authorities,” he said.
“Our purpose is not to complicate movement or travel, but to ensure that screening processes can be carried out quickly, accurately and with full integrity, thereby facilitating passenger flow without compromising national security.”
The RTS Link project is widely seen as transformative for cross-border connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore and is expected to significantly ease congestion at the Johor–Singapore Causeway once operational.
