DAP Johor publicity secretary Wong Bor Yang has called on the Johor government to explain why the Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit project did not proceed in its original form before the state moved toward the Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit system.
The IMBRT proposal, announced in 2017, involved RM1 billion in federal funding with the remaining RM1.56 billion to be raised through a public-private partnership. Various technical studies and planning exercises were carried out over several years, but the project was never implemented in its original form before the E-ART proposal in 2024.
Wong said traffic congestion should not be used to shift responsibility away from earlier policy decisions involving the state government.
Caretaker Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has urged Putrajaya to speed up the E-ART project, citing concerns over congestion once the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link) begins operations on Jan 1, 2027.
The federal government announced approval for projects worth more than RM10 billion in May to strengthen Johor's transport system and connectivity.
Sources: Bernama, New Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia, The Star.
