KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — The developer of the controversial luxury housing Forest City project near Tanjung Pelepas, Johor wants a CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) facility as well as a direct link to the state’s second bridge to Singapore to ease access for motorists, according to a news report today.
The Straits Times (ST) quoted developer Country Garden Pacific view (CGPV) as saying that the Forest City mega project— whose total land size of 1,386ha is nearly three times that of Sentosa — will take 30 years to complete and would have direct link to the second bridge to Singapore.
“Yes, it is our hope and part of our long-term plan that the reclaimed land will have a direct link to the second bridge to Singapore,” the report quoted CGPV as saying on its official website.
The developer added that it was “studying the requirements of setting up the new CIQ” facility.
Travellers from Singapore currently need to pass through the Malaysian CIQ complex on the Tanjung Kupang side of the Second Link.
CIQ facilities are approved and operated by relevant state authorities.
“The project, though, does have powerful backers,” the news report added.
According to Straits Times, CGPV is a 60:40 joint venture between Country Garden Holdings and Esplanade Danga 88.
Country Garden Holdings is the third-largest developer in China by floor area sold, according to Bloomberg. It is controlled by China’s richest woman, Yang Huiyan.
Esplanade Danga 88 is 20 per cent owned by Johor state’s investment arm, Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor.
The remaining stake in Esplanade Danga, according to media reports, is controlled by Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Ismail and royal court member Daing A. Malek Daing A. Rahaman.
The project has faced backlash from Johor residents who claim the planned luxury condos and landed houses as targeted at only Singaporeans and wealthy people.
The Singaporean government has repeatedly raised concerns over the reclamation works being done by the developer.
The project was temporarily halted last year and was given the green light to resume only recently after being scaled down by at least 30 per cent.
