09/05/2026

SATURDAY | MAY 9, 2026

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RTS Link achieves 90% completion: Minister

Be more proactive, Pahang Tengku Mahkota tells reps KUANTAN: The Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah reminded all elected representatives in the state to carry out their responsibilities with full dedication and integrity without waiting for the election season. His Royal Highness said he wants issues affecting residents to be resolved immediately, and urged elected representatives to be more proactive. “If you need to go up and down departments and agencies, then do so because all of you are representatives chosen by the people. Do not let issues such as clogged school drains, stray dogs, collapsed embankments or tree-cutting matters reach me. “Work hard. Don’t wait until the final year before the election to show your face and suddenly start doing this and that,” he said in his royal address when opening the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Pahang State Legislative Assembly at Wisma Sri Pahang yesterday. Tengku Hassanal also advised all parties not to play up issues that could undermine unity, and instead practise political maturity. He said any action deliberately aimed at inciting hatred among races and religions is completely unacceptable. “I want these 3R issues (race, religion and royalty) to stop. All parties, regardless of background, must act responsibly in every action and uphold the values of respect, tolerance and the rule of law.” He cautioned that any issue related to the construction of places of worship, whether on government or private land, must fully comply with the law and established regulations. “Do not act based on emotions, and no one is above the law in dealing with matters that could threaten the peace and stability of the state.” – Bernama ‘No need to rush for new MyKad replacement’ JOHOR BAHRU: Holders of existing MyKad nationwide are not required to replace their identity cards immediately when the new version is introduced on June 1, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. More than 20 million Malaysians currently hold the identification card. “The law does not require holders of the existing MyKad to immediately replace their cards once the new version is introduced. I urge the public not to rush to the National Registration Department (NRD) to change their MyKad.” He was speaking after inspecting the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link project at the Sultan Iskandar Building Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex and Bukit Chagar Station yesterday. Also present was Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency Director General Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain. NRD Director-General Datuk Badrul Hisham Alias had said the new MyKad would feature 53 security elements compared with 23 on the current card. – Bernama

o Govt focus shifting towards ensuring full preparedness of integrated border control system ahead of scheduled commencement of operations on Dec 31

security enforcement.” He said the RTS Link would see a major shift from conventional immigration processes, which require manual passport checks. “Now, we are transitioning to 220 e-gates, all of which have been installed. The next step is system integration using the MyNIISe platform.” Saifuddin Nasution said the integration phase is expected to begin in mid-June, followed by dry runs and phased testing, while server deployment would also be carried out to complete system readiness before full operation. He said the MyNIISe system would replace the long-used MyIMMs platform, which has been in operation for decades. Acknowledging previous system disruptions, he said transitional glitches are expected but would be minimised through close monitoring and mitigation measures. “I cannot guarantee that while MyNIISe is operating there will be zero disruptions. That is impossible. This is a legacy system we are replacing, which is why we are opening a new chapter. “I ask for understanding and patience as we implement this system in the near future.”

PETALING JAYA: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link has reached 90% completion as of April 30, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He said the project is moving into its final phase of operational readiness. He added that the focus is now shifting towards ensuring full preparedness of the integrated border control system ahead of the project’s scheduled full operation on Dec 31. “The RTS Link is not merely about physical infrastructure. We are also assessing the overall operational readiness of the system, including security, technology, communications and human resources,” he said yesterday after a site visit to the RTS project in Bukit Chagar, Johor. This project is widely seen as a transformative one for cross-border connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore, and is expected to significantly ease congestion at the Johor–Singapore Causeway Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com PETALING JAYA: A total of 794 security posts have been approved under the operational structure of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, ahead of its launch as Malaysia’s busiest land entry point. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the positions involve 640 personnel under the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, 47 under the Customs Department and 107 under police. He said the manpower rollout is being implemented in phases to ensure full operational readiness ahead of the RTS Link scheduled full operation on Dec 31. “In addition, 478 new officers will begin training at the Police Training Centre Segamat from June 22 to Sept 27, before being deployed

once operational. Saifuddin Nasution said the RTS Link is poised to become the busiest land entry point in Malaysia, surpassing existing checkpoints among the country’s more than 120 entry points by land, sea and air. He said security, immigration control, threat detection and operational efficiency remain the top priorities of the ministry. “For border control, these four elements must be at the highest level from day one of operation.” On security infrastructure, Saifuddin Nasution said the facility would be equipped with 18 baggage scanners, 22 body scanners and 10 walkthrough millimetre-wave scanners, which are currently being installed and tested. He said the systems would be integrated with an Auto Threat Detection system to ensure faster and more accurate screening without disrupting passenger flow. “We are using technology to ensure smooth movement of passengers but at the same time, we cannot compromise on to the Sultan Iskandar Building and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex starting Oct 1.” Saifuddin Nasution said the co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine concept agreed to by Malaysia and Singapore would see enforcement agencies from both countries operating within shared facilities in each other’s jurisdictions. He said the implementation of the arrangement, however, requires enabling domestic legislation from both countries. “We have completed our domestic law 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 technical discussions between both

He said vendors have been instructed to adopt a “pre-mortem” approach in system development, identifying potential failures in advance and preparing mitigation plans before issues arise. Security, Customs manpower approved for operations

countries are ongoing to finalise SOPs, particularly involving immigration, security operations, incident management and emergency response. Saifuddin Nasution said the RTS Link is not only a transport project but also a modernised border management system. “We will not compromise on law enforcement. There will be no tolerance for attempts to bypass checks or misuse the system.” He said while the system is designed to ensure seamless travel and efficient processing, it would also strengthen real-time monitoring capabilities to detect and prevent threats such as human trafficking, smuggling and illegal entry. – By QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI

IN SOLIDARITY ... (from left) Myanmar Foreign Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary U Hau Khan Sum, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet and Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone at the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Cebu, Philippines yesterday. – REUTERSPIC