Ong: KTMB land not developed due to restrictions

PUTRAJAYA: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said on May 26 the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) land in Singapore has not been developed previously due to land use restrictions.

“I think I need to explain this because of the various issues raised in the media and blogs. It may be because they are not clear about the restrictions,” he told reporters prior to chairing the weekly cabinet meeting at the ministry on Wednesday May 26.

He said the land could only be developed for railway matters. “Other types of land use are not allowed under the existing agreement,” he added.

“If we had gone on with developing the land for other purposes, KTMB would lose the site. We have not done so because we are adhering to the agreement.”

On Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong agreed to develop the KTMB land in Tanjung Pagar, and relocate the railway station to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint by July 1, 2011.

The KTMB land in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands as well as the additional three pieces of land in Bukit Timah totalling 271ha would be handed over to the Malaysia-Singapore joint-venture company to be known as M-S Pte Ltd, which would be set up before Dec 31 this year.

Ong said: “Those who are bent on questioning why these lands have not been developed previously should get their facts right.” — Bernama