No new proposal from Malaysia for KL-SG HSR project yet, says Singapore – RFI exercise extended to Nov 15
According to a report by The Straits Times, Singapore has not received a new proposal from Malaysia for a high-speed rail (HSR) line between the city state and Kuala Lumpur. This was revealed by Singapore’s acting transport minister Chee Hong Tat in Parliament on Thursday (August 3, 2023).
“Singapore is willing to discuss any new proposal for a Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail from Malaysia in good faith, starting from a clean slate,” Chee said in response to questions from MPs. “We have not yet received any new proposal from Malaysia,” he added.
Chee’s comments came after Malaysia recently began seeking proposal to revive the project, which was terminated in 2021. In mid-July, MyHSR Corporation requested concept proposals from local and international firms for development and operation of the KL-SG HSR project through a public-private partnership model.
Later in the month, it was revealed the purchase of the KL-SG HSR project’s request for information (RFI) documents would be extended throughout the concept proposal stage until November 15, 2023 due to the overwhelming response and requests. As such, interested parties would be able to purchase the RFI documents from now until November 15, which is the final date to submit proposals, reports Bernama.
“To date, close to 30 local and international firms have registered to purchase the RFI documents,” MyHSR Corporation said in a statement, adding that more than 700 local and foreign participants, attended the KL-SG HSR RFI briefing at the ministry of finance in Putrajaya on July 27.
“In addition to representatives from Malaysian companies, the RFI briefing was also attended by representatives of industry players from the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore,” the company noted. Chee said in Parliament that the Singapore authorities are not involved with the RFI exercise.
The initial KL-SG HSR proposal would cover 350 km and feature seven stations in Malaysia (Bandar Malaysia, Sepang to Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri), with trains stopping at Jurong East in Singapore.
The project was first agreed upon by both countries in 2013, with an agreement to construct it signed in 2016. However, the plan was put on ice in 2018 after then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad deemed it an unnecessary project. The KL-SG HSR project would be deferred for several months until December 2020 before it was terminated entirely on January 1, 2021. Malaysia paid Singapore around RM300 million for the termination.
In March this year, transport minister Anthony Loke said the government is open to proposals to revive the project from private parties that are technically and financially capable, and would accept new mechanisms of funding and implementation for it.
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