The cross-border exercise tested communication, rescue coordination and emergency response procedures ahead of the RTS Link’s operational launch. — Picture via Facebook/RTS Link
First Published: Wednesday, 28 Oct 2026 5:38 PM MYT
JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 28 — Malaysia and Singapore have demonstrated their ability to jointly manage cross-border emergencies involving the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, following a field exercise simulating a fire aboard a stranded train.
Singapore’s Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann said the exercise, held yesterday, demonstrated effective coordination between agencies from both countries in responding swiftly and professionally to a simulated emergency.
She said three key outcomes stood out during the exercise, namely real-time communication, coordinated deployment of emergency personnel, and effective command and control.
“Malaysia’s operations centre at Bukit Chagar and Singapore’s ICA Integrated Operations Centre maintained real-time contact throughout the management of the incident.
“This enabled both countries to establish a joint situation picture and communicate their action plans to each other,” she said at the closing ceremony of the Malaysia-Singapore Cross-Border Joint Field Exercise for the RTS Link here today. Also present was Malaysia’s Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Sim Ann said officers and station operators from both sides of the border also coordinated effectively in deploying personnel from fire and rescue, law enforcement and border control agencies.
She said the exercise further demonstrated that officers clearly understood their respective roles and responsibilities, even when managing a fast-moving crisis.
Highlighting the unique operational challenges of the RTS Link, Sim Ann said each train would carry more than 600 passengers, with services operating at short intervals and a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
With each journey taking only five minutes, she said any disruption or emergency could affect a large number of passengers within a short period, requiring swift information sharing and close coordination between agencies operating under different legal and command structures.
“An emergency on board a crowded and fast-moving train leaves little room for error. By executing the response plans correctly and swiftly, we will be better prepared to save lives, minimise damage and restore normalcy quickly,” she said.
Sim Ann said operational agencies from both countries had been working together since 2023 to develop clear frameworks, laws and operational protocols to guide frontline responders in handling cross-border incidents once the RTS Link begins operations.
She said a tabletop exercise conducted last month had allowed agencies to test their emergency response plans involving natural hazards, medical emergencies, fires, and public order and security incidents before progressing to the field exercise.
“Readiness is proven only when those plans are put to the test,” she said, adding that the latest exercise provided valuable lessons for further improving joint response plans before an actual emergency occurs.
She stressed that the exercise was not an endpoint but an important milestone in ongoing preparations, with both countries expected to continue refining operational protocols and conducting regular joint exercises as the RTS Link moves towards operationalisation.
Sim Ann also described the RTS Link as more than a transport connection, saying it would bring the people, communities and economies of Malaysia and Singapore closer together by making daily cross-border travel faster and more convenient.
She expressed appreciation to the Malaysian government, the Johor state government and participating agencies for their close cooperation in organising the exercise, which she said reflected both countries’ shared commitment to ensuring safe and effective RTS Link operations. — Bernama