By Anas Abu Hassan
SINGAPORE, April 21 (Bernama) — Malaysia took part in a roundtable session in Singapore on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in the Strait of Malacca, in line with its commitment to ensuring that freedom of navigation in the area continues to be safeguarded.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who attended the closed-door discussion, said the session was held in conjunction with Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2026.
“Malaysia, as a littoral state with responsibilities over the Strait of Malacca, remains committed to ensuring both freedom of navigation and freedom of transit in the strait.
“As a sovereign nation and a member of the International Maritime Organisation Council, we are committed to a rules-based system in which every member state plays its role and respects international law,” he told Bernama.
He said this when met after the opening ceremony of SMW 2026 at the Suntec Convention Centre here.
In a separate development, Loke also said that final works on both Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link stations at Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North are progressing smoothly.
He and Singapore’s Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow visited the Woodlands North station on Monday to review the current status of the project.
“To ensure the project can commence next year, preparations on both sides must be well coordinated.
“I have also invited (Siow) to visit the Bukit Chagar station to ensure proper alignment and coordination so that the project can be completed on schedule,” he said.
The RTS Link project, expected to begin operations in January 2027, will be able to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor and Woodlands North in Singapore in just five minutes.
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