The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link Bill 2026 has been passed, clarifying that no constitutional changes are needed for its extraterritorial enforcement provisions.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Bill 2026 has been passed by the Dewan Negara without requiring any amendment to the Federal Constitution.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah confirmed that the authority to enact the law is already provided under Article 73 and Item 1(g) of the Federal List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
He stated that this eliminates any issue of needing to amend the Constitution to streamline legal cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore for the cross-border project.
The bill was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by eight senators.
Shamsul Anuar emphasised that the powers granted to Singapore enforcement officers at the Bukit Chagar station are strictly limited to Customs, Immigration and security functions within designated areas only.
He stressed that the nation’s sovereignty remains fully preserved under the new legislation.
“Immunity for Singapore officers is limited to ‘functional immunity’ only, and if they commit personal crimes, they can be detained and tried under Malaysian law,” he explained during the winding-up debate.
The deputy minister added that, based on the principle of reciprocity, any individual detained by Singapore officers in that country will be promptly handed over to Malaysian authorities for further action.
The bill, divided into eight parts containing 28 clauses and one schedule, aims to strengthen the legal framework for cross-border transport operations between the two nations.
It will implement a single clearance concept at one location, significantly reducing travel time for commuters to just five minutes.
In a separate development, the Dewan Negara also passed the International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation Bill 2025.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the act is crucial to support efforts to ratify the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, also known as the Singapore Convention, which Malaysia signed in 2019.
He stated that the bill strengthens alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms that are increasingly used globally without relying solely on court processes.
“The drafting of this bill not only strengthens existing legal reforms, but also enhances the confidence of investors and the business community in Malaysia’s dispute resolution system,” Kulasegaran said.
He added that it elevates the country’s image as a preferred regional dispute resolution hub, particularly in Asia.
The Dewan Negara sitting will resume on Monday.
The Sun Malaysia
