What if a fire breaks out on the RTS Link? Malaysia and Singapore put their rescue plans to the test

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

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新山，10 月 28 日讯——马来西亚和新加坡在一次模拟列车起火的实地演习后，展示了他们共同管理涉及新山-新加坡捷运系统 (RTS) 的跨境紧急情况的能力。

新加坡外交部第二部长兼内政部第二部长沈颖表示，昨天举行的演习表明，两国机构之间能够有效协调，迅速、专业地应对模拟紧急情况。

她表示，演习中三个关键成果尤为突出，即实时沟通、应急人员的协调部署以及有效的指挥和控制。

“马来西亚武吉查卡行动中心和新加坡移民与关卡局综合行动中心在整个事件管理过程中保持实时联系。

“这使得两国能够建立联合态势图，并相互沟通行动计划，”她在今天于此举行的马来西亚-新加坡跨境联合实地演习（RTS Link）闭幕式上表示。马来西亚内政部长拿督斯里赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安·伊斯梅尔也出席了闭幕式。

Sim Ann表示，边境两侧的官员和站长们也进行了有效的协调，部署了消防救援、执法和边境管制机构的人员。

她表示，此次演习进一步表明，即使在应对瞬息万变的危机时，警员们也清楚地了解各自的角色和职责。

沈安强调了RTS Link独特的运营挑战，她说每列火车将搭载600多名乘客，发车间隔短，高峰时段每个方向每小时可运送多达10000名乘客。

她表示，由于每次旅程只需五分钟，任何中断或紧急情况都可能在短时间内影响大量乘客，因此需要在不同法律和指挥结构下运作的机构之间迅速共享信息并密切协调。

“在拥挤且高速行驶的列车上发生紧急情况，容错空间非常有限。只有正确、迅速地执行应急预案，我们才能更好地挽救生命、最大限度地减少损失并迅速恢复正常秩序，”她说道。

Sim Ann表示，两国运营机构自2023年以来一直在共同努力，制定明确的框架、法律和操作规程，以指导一线应急人员在RTS Link开始运营后处理跨境事件。

她表示，上个月进行的一次桌面演练让各机构能够在进行实地演练之前，测试其应对自然灾害、医疗紧急情况、火灾以及公共秩序和安全事件的应急响应计划。

“只有当这些计划经受考验时，才能证明其准备就绪程度，”她说道，并补充说，最近的演习为在实际紧急情况发生之前进一步改进联合应对计划提供了宝贵的经验教训。

她强调，此次演习并非终点，而是持续准备工作中的一个重要里程碑，随着RTS Link项目逐步投入运营，两国预计将继续完善操作规程并定期举行联合演习。

沈安还表示，RTS Link 不仅仅是一条交通连接线，它将使马来西亚和新加坡的人民、社区和经济更加紧密地联系在一起，使日常跨境旅行更快、更方便。

她对马来西亚政府、柔佛州政府和各参与机构在组织此次演习过程中给予的密切合作表示感谢，并表示这体现了两国共同致力于确保RTS Link安全高效运行的承诺。——马新社

前实兰沟国会议员巴鲁·比安未能驳回人民公正党就其退出该党一事提起的1000万令吉诉讼。

阿邦佐哈里表示，砂拉越政党联盟（GPS）将参加砂拉越州选举的全部82个议席。

巴生发生一起摩托车与四驱车相撞事故，摩托车被撞后落入拖车轨道，摩托车骑手不幸身亡。