Whatever the politicos say, building a stupid bridge will not ease any congestion... it'll only make the congestion more difficult to be in due to the slope of the stupid bridge.
Here's why:
If you notice, any traveller through the JB checkpoints will have seen that the bottlenecks are at the Singapore and Malaysian checkpoints, NOT the causeway itself.
If the Singapore side is slower than the Malaysian side for vehicles exiting Malaysia and coming into Singapore, then there will be congestion no matter what bridge or causeway or pontoons are there.
If the Malaysian side is slower than the Singapore side for vehicles exiting Singapore and entering Malaysia, then again, there will be congestion.
It is simple queuing theory. Look to improve the slowest parts of the links which are the checkpoints. If the checkpoints are very very fast, the current causeway is more than sufficient to handle the traffic.
Maybe that's why the Singapore side (being very practical with money.. hey! it's the PAP after all!) cannot see the point of throwing a huge amount of money for something impractical.
Or maybe Dr.M is pushing this because it's his last chance at graft? I heard this point from coffeeshop talk... and looking at the Malaysian politicos, it's not that far fetched

Originally posted by Atobe:
Last Saturday, Mahatir claimed that in a 4-Eye meeting with LKY, he was advised by LKY to wait for PM Goh to step down before a Bridge be built to replace the Causeway.
In today's CNA report, Syed Hamid Albar claimed that in all the meetings and negotiations with LKY, he was present and that the Bridge to rebuild the Causeway was never part of a Package Deal.
This statement by Syed Hamid Albar has shot holes in his PM Mahatir's position:
Firstly, that the 4-Eye meeting with only Mahatir and LKY is questionable if it ever took place, as now it seems that Syed Hamid Albar claim to be present too.
Secondly, by stating that the Bridge is not part of the package to be negotiated, Syed Hamid Albar has in his brilliance contradicted Mahatir's signed letter which had recorded and confirmed the issues that he had initially agreed to settle as a Package.
There seem to be a leak of hallucination gas occurring at the new Malaysian Government Complex in Putra Jaya, and is affecting both the Malaysian Prime Minister and his Foreign Minister - with both prone to contradict each other's public statements.
Travel Advisory Note:
When visiting Selangor, do avoid the new Malaysian Government Complex at Putra Jaya; serious cause of concern of being exposed to WMD hallucination gas.