More on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project – South Korea has signalled its interest in bidding for said project according to deputy transport minister, Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, in a report by The Star citing Bernama. According to Kaprawi, South Korea’s interest was mooted to him by the nation’s vice transport minister, Yeo Hyung Koo, during a bilateral meeting in the Philippines recently.
“During the bilateral meeting, I updated Deputy Minister Yeo on HSR, its prospects and opportunities available,” recalled Kaprawi. “I also updated few other rail-based projects such as light rail transit extensions lines and Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) projects which have started and targeted to be completed by 2016 and 2017 respectively.”
In a separate report by TODAY, it is stated that a Korean “mega” consortium, comprised of around 50 public and private firms, is amongst the many parties that have expressed its interest in taking part in a Request for Information (RFI) exercise on the KL-Singapore HSR project.
The Korea Rail Network Authority (KR) will be representing said consortium in the market-sensing exercise, confirmed a spokesperson for South Korea’s Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). The Korean consortium is said to consist of seven construction companies as construction investors, five railway system suppliers, 29 railway design engineers and two financial institutions as monetary investors.
More companies are said to be added in “as soon as possible” to the consortium. The spokesperson also further proved South Korea’s credentials by commenting that it had developed the world’s fourth-fastest high-speed rail, dubbed the Honam High Speed Railway, which was opened for revenue service in April 2015.
“Furthermore, not a single casualty has been caused by rail accidents during the 11-year history of Korea’s HSR,” added the spokesperson. “In this regard, I believe that the Korean consortium can provide the most efficient and optimal business model for the Malaysia-Singapore HSR project.”
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Hitachi now Korean?
Won’t happen anyway, China will just low ball their way. China HSR ftw
We hope this project won’t be another corruption scandal. We’re really tired already.