15-1-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Seven groups, consisting of 31 companies from Malaysia and international entities, have submitted their concept proposals for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR) project, signaling a new chapter in Malaysia’s efforts to revive the project.
In response to a Request for Information (RFI) exercise, the proposals were submitted to MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR Corp), a company under the supervision of Malaysia’s Transport Ministry responsible for the project’s development and implementation.
The KL-SG HSR project will be based on a public-private partnership initiative, following the Design-Finance-Build-Operate-Transfer (DFBOT) model.
Fauzi Abdul Rahman, Chairman of MyHSR Corp, stated that the evaluation of the RFI responses will be presented to the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet for consideration. If the response is positive, the project will proceed to the second phase, involving a Request for Proposal (RFP) stage to obtain detailed proposals from the selected consortia.
Among the expected participants in the project are Malaysian conglomerates YTL Group and Berjaya Group, as reported by New Straits Times (NST). Other potential participants include Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd, Econpile Holdings Bhd, and Gamuda Bhd, according to industry insiders.
The RFI exercise was initiated based on the positive feedback received during a preliminary input gathering round held in March of the previous year.
Participating firms are required to showcase their technical expertise, ability to develop and operate the railway within budgeted cost, quality, and time, as well as present viable business and commercial models, and suitable frameworks for consortium and project governance.
The proposed KL-SG HSR project spans 350km and can reach speeds of up to 350km/h. Initially proposed in 2013, it led to a binding agreement signed in December 2016 with the goal of making the line operational by 2026.
However, the project faced delays at Malaysia’s request and eventually lapsed in December 2020, leading to Malaysia paying over S$102 million in compensation to Singapore.
The project gained momentum when Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, assumed power following the general elections in 2022. During his visit to Singapore last year, discussions took place between Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore leaders, reigniting talks of resurrecting the project.
Singapore’s then-Acting Transport Minister, Chee Hong Tat, expressed Singapore’s willingness to engage in discussions about any new proposals from Malaysia for the KL-SG HSR project in good faith, starting anew.
