One of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's pet projects, the 'crooked bridge' linking Johor to Singapore, may soon become a reality.

Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian said the project, which two of Mahathir's successors refused to implement after he retired, is now back on the table.

"He asked Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Abdul Razak to do it but they didn't. Now he has become prime minister (again).

"At an Iskandar Regional Development Authority meeting last month, he asked me whether Johor still needed the crooked bridge.

"I said, 'It's up to you, it's your idea. If you say you want to continue, I'll just follow.' It has a lot of benefits," Osman told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

The crooked bridge project was originally a six-lane bridge meant to replace the Johor Causeway.

However, as Singapore did not agree to the project, it was modified to incorporate a sharp curve on the Malaysian side, which would allow vessels to pass underneath – thus earning it the 'crooked' moniker.

The bridge would then join up with the undemolished portion of the Johor Causeway on the Singapore side.

The project was greenlit in 2003 during Mahathir's first tenure as prime minister before being cancelled by the Abdullah administration.

Mahathir then reportedly lobbied Najib to build the bridge, but was unsuccessful.

Osman (photo) said building the crooked bridge would not solve congestion on the Causeway, but would help the flow of water in the Straits of Johor, which he hoped would help clear up pollution.

Congestion he said, would be cleared up by constructing a third link to Singapore.

He said Mahathir had agreed to grant federal assistance to build it.

However, Osman declined to reveal where the bridge would be located to avoid property speculation.

In the meantime, there are plans to erect walkway canopies and introduce feeder buses to ease congestion, especially at the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ).

On a separate matter, Osman said the Housing and Local Government Ministry is drawing up a proposal for the quota of buyers for the Forest City project.

However, he provided no further details on the matter.