PM to announce ‘good news’ on KTM Komuter southern shuttle Friday — Loke

JOHOR BAHRU (Oct 8): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to announce good news regarding an initiative to make the KTM Komuter southern shuttle service more affordable during the tabling of the Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the new initiative — described as welcome news — is expected to further help reduce the people's current cost of living.

He said that the southern shuttle, launched in June, has so far transported approximately 20,000 passengers, averaging between 200 and 300 passengers daily.

“...for those commuting from the Kempas, Paloh, and Kulai areas to Johor Bahru using the Southern Shuttle, there will be good news announced by the Prime Minister during the tabling of the Budget tomorrow,” he said while speaking at the launching ceremony for the expansion of the BAS.MY service in Johor Bahru on Thursday.

Loke had previously said that Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) utilises existing trains to operate the Southern Shuttle service, which connects Kulai to Johor Bahru Sentral, as well as Kempas Baru, Pasir Gudang and Paloh.

He said that the two sets of southern shuttle trains currently in use are existing assets, serving as an interim measure while awaiting the new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, which will take between two and three years to procure.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Tebrau shuttle operations, Loke explained at a press conference that the scheduled commencement of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link next February would not affect the service currently operated by KTMB.

He said the service would only be discontinued six months after the RTS Link begins operations, as stipulated in the bilateral agreement between the two countries.

“As per the bilateral agreement, the Tebrau shuttle will be discontinued six months after the RTS Link starts. So, that is already included in the agreement,” he said.

The Tebrau shuttle service, which has been operating since July 1, 2015, connects JB Sentral and the Woodlands train checkpoint (WTCP), with a five-minute journey across the Malaysia-Singapore border.

With a one-way ticket price of RM5 from JB Sentral to Woodlands and SGD5 from Woodlands to JB Sentral, the service has the capacity to carry 8,635 passengers daily, with a frequency of 31 trips in both directions.

Uploaded by Magessan Varatharaja

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