Relocation of KTM Station in Singapore – Light at the end of tunnel

In a historic move, Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to series of measures to further improve upon bilateral relations. In the spirit of enhancing ties towards a win-win situation, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak issued a joint statement on 24th May 2010 on an exciting list of initiatives which will bode well into the future for both Singaporeans and Malaysians.

Measure #1: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) station will be relocated from Tanjong Pagar to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint (WTCP) by 1 July 2011.

Why this will work out:

i. The land KTMB is currently sitting on at Tanjong Pagar is at a prime district, just kilometers away from Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD). Relocation of KTMB will release the land around it for residential or office space development, and the proceeds will be shared by both Singapore and Malaysia. Value of the land is unlocked.

ii. Relocating KTMB to Singapore reduces maintenance cost for maintenance of railway track from Tanjong Pagar to Singapore and more importantly, area around the track (some 20km of them!) can also be developed.

iii. Less fatalities for Singaporeans who like to jay-walk across the track.

 
Measure #2: Introduction of 8 new bus routes, effectively doubling the number of bus services plying Singapore and Johor Bahru. Cross-border scheduled bus services will be doubled with the introduction of 8 new additional routes (4 from each side) between Pasar Bakti and Larkin in Johor and the two Integrated Resorts, Boon Lay, Yishun, Newton and Changi Airport in Singapore

Why this will work out:

i. Increased trade and tourism. For example: Singapore’s Integrated Resort will be able to draw more visitors while this means easier access to Iskandar Malaysia region to Singaporeans.

ii. You might finally be able to get a seat on SBS 170 or TIBS 950.

iii. Travel to Johor Bahru will no longer just be an exclusive past-time for Woodlanders.

Bad causeway jam - soon a thing of the past?

Measure #3: Cross border taxi services will be liberalised with taxis being allowed to pick up and drop off passengers from any location on the domestic leg of that journey, instead of only at the designated taxi terminals

Why this will work out:

i. You can finally drop off at Yishun or Tampines (instead of Queens Street Read on…

8 comments May 25th, 2010

Using Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in Johor Bahru

Key Performance Indicators, also known as KPI, helps an organization define and measure progress toward organizational goals. When our new PM Najib announced that Ministers in the Cabinet will be evaluated using KPI, the key signal to the ministers is to inform them that they are now closely evaluated based on their performance, which is:

1. Easily measurable
2. Based on a definite timescale

In short, time to buck up.

While there has been no indication if the KPI will be released to the public, we have created a wish list of KPI that we hope can be included. They are specific to Johor Bahru, but can easily be expanded to the whole of Malaysia.

Police
1. Improving the crime resolution rate by 20% by 2010.
2. Average response time of 20 minutes in the city area.
3. 25% increase in the public confidence of police force by 2010 (independent survey can be commissioned).
4. 90% of operational police personnel are fit (for example, can run 5km within 35 minutes and complete 100m in 14 seconds).
5. < 10 counts of reported bribery cases/ year

CIQ
1. <20 minutes wait time/ person.
2. <25 minutes wait time/ vehicle.

Read on…

2 comments April 19th, 2009

Add DR Mahathir back to the complex UMNO equation

Prove that:
TanA+TanB+TanC=(TanA)(TanB)(TanC)
Too easy?

How about this:
Prove that E = mc²
Still too easy?

NOW TRY THIS:
What do you get when you have Dr Mahathir, Khairy Jamaluddin (son-in-law of PM Abdullah), DPM Najib (soon to be PM of Malaysia), Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (soon to be DPM) and the influences of out-going PM Abdullah, Mukhriz Mahathir (son of DR Mahathir) all in UMNO?

 
Image of Dr Mohathir Mohamed

No one knows for sure (thats why this is tough~). The equation is complex because Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not disguise his unhappiness about the way outgoing PM Abdullah has managed UMNO and Malaysia in general.

One generation down, Khairy Jamaluddin (son-in-law of PM Abdullah) has just beat Mukhriz Mahathir (son of DR Mahathir) to the post of Umno Youth president and their distaste for each other could not be more pronounced.

A highly respected figure in Malaysian politics, Dr Mahathir welds  Read on…

Add comment March 29th, 2009