China is stepping up its efforts to ensure that it secures the tender for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project. In a report by The Star, China’s national rail operator, the China Railway Corporation, said it was confident of having the upper hand over other countries that have also expressed their interest in the project.
“We have been paying attention to this KL-Singapore HSR project, and know that some other countries are also keen. “Our confidence comes from our strengths in HSR which are incomparable to that of other countries,” he added, pointing out that China’s HSR technology was more compatible with existing rail standards here in the region,” said its deputy chief engineer Zhao Guotang in a pitch to selected reporters.
According to Zhao, the HSR lines in Hainan and around Guangzhou shared similarities with the proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore, including the weather conditions and length of the track (more than 300 km). Furthermore, both provide a direct link between two large cities while passing many major towns.
Zhao also highlighted China’s experience with HSR technology, where it now has a 19,000 km-long HSR network, which is five times as long as Spain’s, the world’s second largest in total HSR track. It also currently has 2,300 electric multiple unit (EMU) train sets, more than half of the world’s total.
China also has plans to add another 11,000 km of track within its borders by the year 2020, and to connect its southern provincial capital of Kunming near Myanmar, through to Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore via its HSR line.
The country’s use of “advanced machinery” made it so that the foundation of three to five building piles could be brought up in one day, allowing China to build all the needed KL-Singapore HSR tracks in just five years, claims Zhao. “We can finish in three to five years, but for other countries it may take seven to eight years,” he said.
Zhao said that while China has fixed the Wenzhou HSR accident in 2011 which killed 40 people, the republic had also upgraded its services, and now boasted a total of 3.5 million passengers using its lines daily, with a 99% punctuality rate.
China’s good relationship with Malaysia and Singapore was also considered an advantage in the pursuit of the project. Both countries are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the project soon.
Malaysia’s HSR project delivery vehicle MyHSR Corp will start the tender process for the project later this year. A spokesman also said that it closed an open tender for the appointment of the company’s technical advisory consultant that will assist the company in further defining the technical details of the project.
When asked if China would reassess its regional plans or carry on with the Bandar Malaysia terminal if it was not able to win the HSR line project, Zhao stated that it wasn’t necessary for both projects to connect together.
“Besides the economical profit, we are considering a lot of other profits we may bring to (other) countries In this process, for the construction and in equipment manufacturing, we are organising a lot of relative enterprises to push forward our corporation,” he said, adding that the enterprises independent of China Railway.
South Korea is also looking to transfer its HSR technology over to Malaysia, but the details have yet to be finalised. Meanwhile, Japan’s Shinkansen boasts an impressive safety record, where not a single person has been killed riding on a bullet train there since it began operations in 1964, which may help the country in its bid to secure the KL-Singapore HSR line project.
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This is will be the beginning of Malaysian nightmare if China got it! Why not choose Japan JR which do not have any major casualty accident over the past 50 years! Our gov only care about how to get the most money out of this project rather than care about safety!
Just dont put the project under market value…
The station already belonged to China and you think the rail/train can give to Japan? Use your brain.
If Proton could be sold to China, it will have much better chance of surviving.
Why use the products from foreign overlords when we can use the talent of our local graduates?
Just don’t put the project under donation…
I give you mega-project. You help my 1MDB mega-debts
You help Proton bailout. Proton workers help vote for you
Enough wayang with the tender process la…at the rate China has bought up 1MDB assets, it’s only a matter of when and not if the agreement will be signed…
The only stumbling block could be Singapore’s insistence to a fair and open tender but they also have had heavy investments by the Chinese the last 10 years so they are also threading carefully…
Also the South China Sea dispute may still play a part as big bro USA wishes to exert its influence in the region… so it be interesting to see..either way..the Chinese are bound to at least get the infrastructure contracts if not the train project itself…. For me, I dont mind any player as long they promise a complete transfer of technology to us…
South china sea belongs to china. You pick china railway, if you can’t pay, then the land goes to….
I only like China dolls. Enough said
Then you should vote for China. The China train will take u directly to Kunming, southern China in future!
Why you don’t like local dolls?
Since there is involvement from Singapore, i hope SG will oppose dealing with China.. SG is sending back the MRTs bought from China for repairs…
when this is up, people can stay in KL and work in Singapore. Yeah!
When the train fare cost SGD $80 per trip from SG to KL. U can say goodbye to ur monthly pay
Can not afford, then take ktm la.. make noise for what? Ur bank loan approve for 80k but want a bmw..
Sorry guys, the tongsan people that you fear are taking over – with the endorsement of the ‘fear the tongsans’ party. Isn’t it ironic?
Even better, when you arrived in KL you would hear “Next station, Bandar Tongsan; stesen berikutnya, bandar tongsan…”
No additional info given that SG SMRT actually bought a fleet of CSR trainsets? That despite all the BN Gov/ China bashing, SG had trusted china trains and we shud not persoal them (since we belip SG only)? And if anything goes wrong, we can still claim warranty (like in SG) or we dun commission them until proven satisfied (like our ETS)?
MY pipu unfortunately dun have the perspective and starts bashing as soon as see the headlines. How saddings.
Name instances where something went wrong with our GLCs and they claimed warranty or successfully took legal action? SG and MY operate very differently.
Search here for ETS new trains. Oso since SG has a say in this projek, they will definitely claim warranty if the train got problem. U mean u dun trust our SG overlords kah? How dare u!
Yup, SG bought train from china mainland.. yet Msian dont care about this.. bcos they tot it made in JPN..
“Our confidence comes from our strengths in HSR which are incomparable to that of other countries,”….
should be “Our confidence comes from our strengths in oppressing ASEAN countries by building artificial islands in Spartly’s which are incomparable to that of other countries. And we will soon extend our borders to Natuna Islands as well.”
I personally have doubts over the China train build quality and design. When they are trying to see to the whole world and putting a rush on factory orders, maybe some corners are cut.
Sharing the news here so everyone understands the situation and risk as the trains get old. If indeed China Rail will be the one supplying to us…
Singapore defects
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/china-made-mrt-trains-sent-back-to-fix-defects
Hong Kong
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=171267&story_id=46960814&d_str=20160706&fc=15&sid=11
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=171381&story_id=46963804&d_str=20160708&fc=15&sid=11
Based on ur links, SG trusted them enuff to buy a fleet. So why shud we persoal?
No, don’t trust them, bumi overlords should build it themselves
Japan High Speed Rail had one accident also, your report is not truthful.
Where have they mentioned that Japan’s HSR have not had any accidents? What the article mention is correct, that there has not been any fatalities (deaths) involving Japan’s HSR before .
Japan’s HSR has no VSC. And that’s the truth. Our KTM is safer
That no longer operating China-made monorail in Malacca town is such an eyesore.
I only like Japanese Anime and Japanese doll.
Should show the photo of Harvy at train station.
This map is wrong. Muar is by the coast far from NSE.
The issue is not who wins but rather the G2G involvement in the project that Malaysia frankly don’t need NOW.
IMHO neither of those companies should build the HSR. They are all designed to work brilliantly well in seasonal climates, which means it’s engineered to handle extreme expansion and contraction all year long. And it works by storing and expelling heat in the materials.
The problem with technology transfer from cold/seasonal climate countries to Malaysia is that the trains isn’t engineered to work in constant heat (constant expansion). That to say the heat gets stored into the materials without many outlet to cool it off. EG: Lambo & Ferrari’s on fire? Masterpiece in engineering but designed for cold climates, in KL it’s a bonfire.
It’s like our LRT’s brake catching fire and it wasn’t travelling fast. Imagine when the HSR doing 300km/h having brake failure because of prolong exposure to extreme heat, most passengers would perish. And given our accessibility to EMS, those who survived the crash might die on their way to the hospital.
If they are honestly keen to build it, make a study group with all 3 of them, use Malaysia as a hub for these countries to design and engineer HSR for tropical/hot climate countries. It will benefit all parties including our engineers. They get to have the technologies to build and sell HSR to other hot climate countries like the Middle East or South America. We get to use those technology and get P1/P2 to mass produce HSR all over our country.
Quickly make a decision. Malaysia and Singapore have been overanalysing and overthinking this project like we are going to put a man on Jupiter!
I am fed up and tired of traffic jams everytime there is a long holiday heading South. (Every direction actually).
Can’t wait for this project to be confirmed – if ever.
like i said previously, u can bring fake things but cannot last longer. Avoid fake famous china to built HSR in Malaysia.
I see some factual comments above and I tend to agree all of you! But the final decision still goes to the lowest commercial bid. Whether it is right decision or not, will be left to be seen. On personal note, i would like Japan to take over our rail line due to their exposure and experience. Yes, of course they need to take into account of our weather of high humidity and temperatures. The engineering part is always the challenging part to ensure all requirements are taken into account.
Put the project on an open bidding. Make sure the owner get the best deal – lower cost, better quality, and feasible business plan, and most importantly, attractive financing. Any deals made behind closed doors should be seen as corruption. The owner should never pay a higher price for an public infrastructure project.
at the rate chinese trains are carrying people, it is still safer than riding a plane. one incident over the billions trip they have made is really nothing in statistics.
If I can choose, I will pick s. Korea. Just to mess up with Chinese and Japanese
See no reason why want this HSR. Things not cheap in Singapore. Singaporean coming to Malaysia will rather drive their car to let their car to stretch their wheels and some cardio engine work out. They will eye our NS highway. Money better spend on buying naval ships, helicopter and fighter jet. We have to protect our sovereignty of South China Sea. Please do not buy fighter jet from Russia. They are good friend to China. Next thing you know no spare parts and no ammo. The fighter jets are for display only…Get Rafael or Gripen. At least Malaysian will enjoy the jets flying during merdeka day.