Redditors ask why Malaysian side of RTS bridge is painted while Singaporean side does not

SINGAPORE: After a local Reddit user posted a photo of the bridge from Woodlands North Station in Singapore to the Bukit Chagar Station in Johor Bahru, commenters were puzzled as to why one side seemed to be painted while the other side was not.

The picture, posted by u/Zkang123 on June 1, is of the Marine Viaduct over the Straits of Johor, which is around 25 meters above the water and links the underground tunnels at both ends.

It showed that the Malaysian side of the viaduct is painted a sleek grey colour. On the Singapore side, however, the columns rising from the water look unpainted, which gave the photo a somewhat uneven look.

“Which side is Singapore’s, and which side is Malaysia’s?” the post author asked.

“Right is SG, left is MY,” a Reddit user promptly answered.

However, it was the difference in appearance between the two sides that received the most attention.

In the most-upvoted comment, a Reddit user expressed dismay, writing, “So the bridge is going to be left half-painted like that? Anyway, Singapore doesn’t usually paint our concrete flyovers and bridges because it is unnecessary.”

Another, however, helpfully explained that this discrepancy points to architectural standards from both countries.

“For those who are curious – the greyish colour on the Malaysian side of the viaduct is actually a common colour scheme that can also be seen on the MRT viaducts in Malaysia (but not LRT viaducts),” one wrote.

A Singaporean, meanwhile, pointed out that “We usually don’t paint our concrete beams for bridges and tracks.”

Others did not seem pleased that the bridge does not have a uniform appearance.

“You can literally see the difference in colour and the trusses that mark the middle,” one observed.

“Come on, paint it all or don’t paint it. Man, all the fake friendliness between the 2 countries and we can’t even agree on whether to paint the damn thing or not,” another groused.

“Why so petty? Just paint it.  And I don’t even know which side is which. The bureaucrat in charge of the side that didn’t paint clearly cannot even make a goodwill gesture of cooperation? That’s really unproductive, especially considering this is a literal bridge between both sides,” added a third.

The Singapore-Johor Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027. It will be an important part of the solution to the persistent traffic problems on the Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, which is used by approximately 300,000 people daily. Travel time for commuters would be cut to around five or six minutes on the link. /TISG

Read also: Excitement building up over 6-minute SG-JB RTS Link crossing