KUALA LUMPUR: The construction of the Coastal Highway Southern Link (CHSL), the final stretch connecting the Coastal Highway to the Second Link Expressway, is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2017.

In a statement yesterday, Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) said it had signed the facilitation fund agreement (FFA) with the Malaysian government and Bank Pembangunan (M) Bhd for the highway.

“We are grateful to have the backing and support of both the federal and state governments as it sends a strong message to investors on our efforts in transforming Iskandar Malaysia into a liveable city, a thriving investment destination,” said IIB president and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim in the statement. However, he did not mention the cost of the highway.

The new 5.2km highway will traverse the proposed Gerbang Nusajaya South development, Kampung Tiram Duku Kiri, Kampung Bukit Kuching, as well as the proposed Sunway Iskandar development and Leisure Farm resort.

This will provide a direct connection between the Second Link Expressway and Medini — the central business district of Nusajaya.

“This CHSL project will reduce the travelling distance beween the Second Link and Medini by 10km. Travel time from the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs Immigration and Quarantine checkpoint, at the Second Link, to Medini will be a mere five minutes via this proposed linkage,” said IIB.

It said that with the enhanced road network connectivity, the CHSL project is expected to be another catalyst to attract more investments into Iskandar Malaysia.

Four parties signed an agreement for the infrastructure cost-sharing agreement prior to the inking of the FFA, a collaboration among IIB, UEM Sunrise Bhd through its wholly-owned subsidiary Nusajaya Rise Sdn Bhd, Sunway Iskandar Development Sdn Bhd and Mulpha International Bhd.


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 1, 2014.