News & Articles Rail firms eye KL-S’pore HSR talksRail firms eye KL-S’pore HSR talks on May 5
Rail firms eye KL-S’pore HSR talksRail firms eye KL-S’pore HSR talks on May 5
21 Apr 2015
China and Japan railway firms are awaiting a possible joint government decision on the proposed high speed rail (HSR) link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore early next month when the two prime ministers attend a leaders’ retreat on May 5.
But Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said in an interview that there will still be many other issues to be worked down before the project can go to tender, reported Xinhua.
As of now, he said Malaysia has decided that the KL terminal will be at the proposed Bandar Malaysia, which will be developed on the former air force base in Sungei Besi, while Singapore has yet to make a decision.
Abdul Wahid also said the recent drop in global crude oil prices would not have any impact on the HSR project as funding is likely to also come from the private sector.
The HSR project was announced in 2010 and is expected to cut travel time between the two economic zones to 90 minutes when completed as scheduled in 2020, compared to almost four hours by road now.
The 400km rail link is expected to cost around RM40 billion, with a total of six intermediate stops at Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and Nusajaya.