SINGAPORE: A proposed law supporting the development of rail links between Singapore and Malaysia will be referred to a Select Committee, Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng said in Parliament on Monday (Nov 6).
This is because the Cross-Border Railways Bill is a hybrid bill, Mr Ng said. A hybrid bill is a public Bill that is “prejudicial to the rights or interests of particular individuals or corporate bodies”, as defined on the Parliament website.
The Select Committee may hear petitions from the affected parties, according to the website. The committee will be chaired by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, and will consist of Mr Ng and MPs Cheng Li Hui, Low Thia Khiang, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Sitoh Yih Pin, Vikram Nair and Melvin Yong, he said.
The Ministry of Transport proposes to enact the new Bill to enable the construction, operation and regulation of cross-border railway projects within Singapore, he said.
The Bill, when passed, will govern within Singapore two upcoming links – the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) expected to start in 2026, and the Rapid Transit System connecting Woodlands in Singapore to Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru, expected to be operational in 2024.
On the HSR, Mr Ng said: “It can be more convenient than flying and will be much faster than driving. It will be possible to go to KL for a day trip or business meeting, have lunch there, and still get home in good time for dinner.” Singaporeans will be able to get to KL in 90 minutes with the HSR.
A map of the preferred alignment of the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail.
IMPACT OF HSR ON GREEN AREAS, ECONOMY
The Bill sets out law on areas like the process of developing and finalising plans and maps for the construction of cross-border railways and general licensing provisions.
It also sets out the investigation and enforcement powers available to officers appointed by the Land Transport Authority as railway safety inspectors and independent safety auditors.
Answering a question on the potential impact of the rail links on green areas from MP Louis Ng, the Minister said that detailed engineering studies on the railway alignment are ongoing. LTA will also study the environmental impact of the HSR project before finalising the design, he said.
“We expect to finalise plans in the coming year or so. We will try to minimise the impact of the development on land owners. However, should land acquisition or temporary displacements are needed, we will give sufficient time for occupants to relocate,” he said.
In response to a question by MP Gan Thiam Poh on the economic benefits of the HSR, Mr Ng said the Government expects a “sizeable portion” of the more than 20,000 people who travel between Singapore and KL daily to switch to the HSR.
“We expect the HSR to catalyse new businesses and tourism between our two cities,” he said.
