KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (KL-Singapore HSR) project, which was terminated in January 2021, has now been revived, according to MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Fauzi Abdul Rahman. The governments of both Malaysia and Singapore have decided to rejuvenate the project, which was initially proposed by YTL Group 22 years ago.
Fauzi stated that the HSR is a growing trend, citing Indonesia as an example where high-speed rail operates at 350km per hour. Although there may be some challenges and issues with Singapore, he emphasized that these are normal hazards in such projects. Fauzi also mentioned that the revived project would be a public-private partnership, ensuring that there would be no cost to the government.
MyHSR Corp CEO Datuk Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal emphasized the importance of the HSR for integrating economic and city planning, leading to wider economic growth. He mentioned that countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam have recognized the significance of high-speed rail and have begun implementing their own projects. He expressed concerns that if these countries achieve success and growth, Malaysia may lose out on potential investment opportunities.
Nur Ismal also shared that 19 countries currently have operational or under-construction high-speed rail networks, with a total length of 56,0119 km. Among these countries, seven are developing nations that have embarked on high-speed rail projects despite having lower per capita incomes than Malaysia, demonstrating their vision and determination to progress.
It seems that Malaysia and Singapore have decided to revive the KL-Singapore HSR project, recognizing its potential benefits for economic integration and growth.
