PETALING JAYA: It is undeniable that the Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) was initiated by the Barisan Nasional government and not Pakatan Harapan, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

       Dr Wee said the first agreement signed by both governments on Jan 16, 2018 constituted a two-way agreement between the Singapore Land Transport Agency and the Malaysian Land Public Transport Commission, now known as the Land Public Transport Agency.

       "When Pakatan Harapan helmed the government they decided to restudy the project which delayed the completion of the project from 2024 to 2026 instead.

       "Since my appointment as the Transport Minister, I have also tried my best to hasten the negotiation process before the agreement was signed on July 31, 2020.

       "This was done through diplomatic discussions with my Singaporean counterparts to iron out delayed issues before the deadline," he said in a Facebook post on Thursday (March 10).

       He said that if he did not hasten the negotiation process on time, Malaysia would have to pay SG$66.5mil (RM200mil) to Singapore following the bilateral agreement which was signed.

       Dr Wee also chided former transport minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook for taking the credit on the idea for commercialising Bukit Chagar, saying that this was actually an objective since the RTS Link was in the planning stage.