4-8-2023 (SINGAPORE) Singapore has not received any new proposals from Malaysia for a high-speed rail (HSR) line between the city-state and Kuala Lumpur, according to Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat. In response to questions from MPs, Chee said that Singapore was willing to discuss any new Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR proposal from Malaysia in good faith, but that the city-state had yet to receive any new proposal. Chee’s comments come after Malaysia launched a process to seek proposals to revive the rail line project, which was terminated in 2021.
MyHSR Corporation, which oversees the HSR project, hosted a briefing for a Request for Information (RFI) exercise at Malaysia’s finance ministry on July 27, which drew 700 attendees and a handful of foreign missions. The exercise is open to local and international firms, allowing the Malaysian government to assess the industry’s ability to fully fund the project.
The HSR project was terminated in January 2021 after both countries failed to reach an agreement on several changes proposed by Malaysia. The two countries had agreed to build the rail line in 2013 and signed an agreement to construct it in 2016. However, Malaysia’s then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad shelved plans for the project for two years in 2018 owing to high costs.
At Thursday’s Parliament sitting, Chee said that Singapore would need to receive the proposal before studying it. “We’ll keep an open mind on what are the possibilities to have a win-win arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia,” added the acting minister.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said a task force was studying the establishment of a new Johor-Singapore special economic zone announced in July. Areas of cooperation could include transport connectivity, innovation, environment, tourism, and technical and skills training. The government will provide an update on the task force’s progress at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat later in 2023.
