The KL-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project has been called off, according to prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in an interview with the Financial Times, reported by Reuters. The new Pakatan Harapan government has promised to review all mega projects started by the previous administration.
“We need to do away with some of the unnecessary projects, for example the high-speed rail, which is going to cost us RM110 billion and will not earn us a single cent. That will be dropped,” Mahathir told the FT. “We have an agreement with Singapore. We have to talk with Singapore about dropping that project,” he added.
Signed in December 2016, the HSR was planned as a 350 km-long double-track route (335 km of which was supposed to be in Malaysia, and 15 km in Singapore) with eight stops in total – Singapore, Iskandar Puteri, Batu Pahat, Muar, Ayer Keroh, Seremban, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur. A bridge over the Straits of Johor – with a height clearance of 25 metres – would have linked the line between both countries.
Trains on the service were expected to run 10 car-long trains, with the capacity for up to 100 passengers per car. These trains were projected to run at average speeds of 300 km/h and bring down the rail travel time between KL and Singapore to 90 minutes.
Said to be South East Asia’s largest ever infrastructure project, the proposed rail network attracted interest from Japan with the Shinkansen bullet train, China, South Korea and several European countries. It was expected to start operations from 2026.
Dropping the HSR project would mean compensating Singapore. “The terms of the agreement are such that if we decide to drop the project, it will cost us a lot of money. So we are going to find out how we can reduce the amount of money we have to pay for breaking the agreement,” Mahathir told The Edge last week.
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Beta tidak setuju…beta ingin rasa shinkasen ok…sila sampai kan tidak setujuan beta kepada kerajaan..sekian
Hutang Ecrl RM55B + 1Mdb RM45B..sekian beta
jangan lupa RM110 billion untuk HSR. Harga gila betul
1mdb to enrich the poor
1MDB tu cerita lama. Beta makan dan tahi pon dah lama keluar tu.
Beta tunggu commission ECRL masuk jer. Hutang masalah rakyat. Beta nak bina istana baru di Jakarta.
I thought 1MDB is to enrich the poor? How can hutang so much? Tak masuk akal
u believe “enrich the poor”, it’s the opposite… the truth is “enrich the rich” :O
waste of money RM110 billion. Tickets have to be more expensive than flights also and that also cannot break even for the next 50 yrs
If our country rich like Dubai, then I don’t see a problem for building HSR. But our country poor like shit hutang 1 tril still wanna act rich and build HSR? Even if build already, can our rakyat afford to sit HSR?
Whats wrong with taking Airasia?
Only when our gaji is as high as Japan only start talking about Shinkansen/HSR. Sadly, now our gaji is not up to par and our country is heavily in debt. A lot of things need to be fixed and settled before looking into HSR. I hope the rakyat can wait and focus on the bigger problem our country is currently facing.
Time to cancel all unnecessary big projects and close down unnecessary departments. Simply feeding people to shake legs.
If they want to ease the traffic & journey time, why not convert the semi-abandoned 6 Malaysia Airlines A380 into 700seat to fly between KUL & SIN rather than park in remote bay in KLIA?
This is a very good idea. Becaus eof corruption, our debt is now over 1 trillion. That is 1000 billion.
The two rail projects alone can save our beloved country about RM200 billion. We all know both the projects have been inflated so much to line the kroni pockets. But at what expense?
Our country is in critical debt. Over 1 trillion is no joke. Please cancel both projects to save our country please
I agreed with his decision, plus those Malaysian working in Singapore didn’t pay any tax to the country. And yet Singapore would only pay for the 10km linking Jurong to Iskandar while Malaysia need to pay for the rest of 300km. If Singapore want HSR badly, please share the cost 50/50.
Instead of building HSR, I rather use the money to subsidize air fare for the rakyat which can help boost MAS & Airasia’s business which will eventually help our economy. Win Win
Jika kamu nak rasa shikasen, kamu boleh pergi melancong di Jepun. Sekarang adalah masa untuk selamatkan negara dari pembaziran wang yang tidak memanfaatkan negara dan rakyat.
LOL.. “selamatkan negara”.. kena kencing kaw-kaw pun tak sedar..
sekurang kurangnya org malaysia ni tak jakun ada kereta api laju.. dan malaysia maju kerana sudah adanya kereta api laju.. jangan bila anak anak atau cucu cicit kau dh besar nanti jakun x pernah naik.. lepastu kena gelak dikahliyak ramai.. baru la kau tahu rasa malunya nanti.. selain itu, adanya kereta api ni pon senang utk rakyat yg dari KL nk balik ke kampung JOHOR.. dh tak payang nak harungi jalan sesak bagai.. naik kereta api.. 30min sampai.. Masyarakat sekarang BUTA apa yg PM najib cuba buat utk korang semua.. Bukan BUTA tetapi korang masih tidak faham apa yang dia cuba utk sampaikan.. Apa yg PM najib cuba sampaikan ialah “1. Penjimatan kos wang minyak 2. Elakkan kesesakan jalan raya 3. Menjimatkan masa perjalanan 4. Menjimatkan tenaga pemandu jalan raya 5. Mengelakkan kemalangan jalan raya *kalau yang kerja SWASTA bukan senang nak dpt cuti tak macam kerajaan seminggu sebelum raya dah cuti* ” jadi fikir fikir kan lah wahai RAKYAT yang masih tak SEDARKAN diri
its not the right time!..maybe after our debt decreasing, HSR will be revive again..i think Tun made the right decision..better built LRT projects in JB & penang..more benefit to common people
Ambik la kapal terbang bro. Tak payah susah nak bina landasan HSR, tak payah susah nak tebang pokok untuk membina landasan, tak payah bawak masuk lebih banyak pekerja bangla ke negara kita.
Jadi kamu fikir la yang mana lebih senang
Finally we see a clean Government taking action. Utter waste of money. Prime importance is we reduce our 1 trillion hutang.
And get proper tenders as contractors.
ECRL also RM70 billion need to be scrapped
hutang negara melampau kerana beli Berkin
Rakyat tidak setuju…..rakyat ingin merasakan hutang negara dilangsaikan ok…disini rakyat tidak setujuan dengan nasihat beta kepada kerajaan….sekian
Nak merasa shinkansen? Pg jepun. Dr tokyo ke osaka rm500++ one way je yerrrrrr. Ambik masa 2jam+
sekiranya raja tak setuju, kan biak raja keluarkan lah duit, demi negara dan rakyatnya…raja kan sayangkan rakyat. jadi tunjukkan lah kasih sayang raja..kan..kan..kan..
sekiranya raja tak setuju, kan biak raja keluarkan lah duit, demi negara dan rakyatnya…raja kan kaya dan sayangkan rakyat jelata. jadi tunjukkan lah kasih sayang Beta..kan..kan..kan..
Projek terbaru Kos tinggi atau projek tu anak dia yg Tak dpt.
Better build mrt from jb to singapore
Some say MRT3 will be cancelled and MRT2 might as well.
MRT 2 no possible to cancel. What do you want to do with hundreds of pillar already erected and tunnel holes already dig?
MRT3 is so laughable.. To build next to NKVE, linking Klang to Bandar Utama shopping center
It’s LRT3, not MRT3
Bapak has history of leaving construction sites abandoned. Remember Plaza Rakyat?
ECRL also started already but about to be scrapped as well. Last time after the crooked bridge was called off they get a cool rm100 millions compensation for that erected pillars. So now, more millions if not billion goes up in smoke to justify this action when in fact long term spillover economic effects are there for the benefit of rakyat.
dont bilip those who incite trouble
can put a big flower pot with lotsa flowers on top of each pillar
nobody has said this. Only you. Pls stop stirring trouble here
have not heard such fake news, already mostly done bang
yes john, we bilip you…ha ha ha
BN cyber trooper yg tak penat2 menabur cerita, teori palsu. One must wonder how many actual person is behind this username.
Our dear Tun;
Thank you for saving our country from financial disaster.
Can u do the rakyat somemore justice,by bringing to book the high ranking officers/dept heads who willingly sign our country into financial ruin?
Also,kindly get the cops to nab the VVIP who allow his condo to store the illicit loot..cash and jewellery.
If a rakyat were to allow a thief or robber to store illicit loot,he will be charged as well.Why is there a delay in charging the VVIP? Is he above the law?
Thank you once again.
Must prosecute all those who make our country into financial problems.
I am so glad we have a clean Government now and no more a corrupted Government
Wait la, let the popos do their job. Besides, innocent until proven guilty what????
If got case, then sure kena charge. Rule of law what? Let the system run without interference la. Kalau tak kena charge lansunqg also, sudah la. Besides, tun got no power to haul or charge anyone, he’s the PM not the AG.
Jilat jangan tak jilat tu
Jilat siapa? Bapak 1MDB kah?
Jilat?!! Sape berani amik keje aku
Suka jilat? Jilat sendiri lah
Subsidising a thieve is better than subsidising the rich
Dear John, please let the thieves to rob your house and take all your cash and belongings. DO NOT make police report after that as you are subsidizing the thieves. Thank you!
Dear John, please let the thieves to rob your house and take away all your cash and belongings. DO NOT make police report after that as you are subsidizing the thieves. Thank you!
Dear John, please let the thieves to rob your house and take away all your cash and belongings. DO NOT make any police report after that as you are subsidizing the thieves. Thank you!
How about the rich thieves?
Subsidising a rich thieve is better. Ohwai
well said Albert
Once we collect all the corruption money, I think the total will be few hundred billion.
Now a lot of money will be saved. Also, our PH GOvernment don’t have to pay Cybertroopers to come here and tell us we got the cheapest car prices in the world
We have to pay Singapore Rm500 million just because they made 10KM of track.
This is how BN negotiate contracts. Low intelligence. Now Pakatan got to pay for stupidity
MRT under Malaysian company.. cancel it will affect the Malaysia economy..
heard of RTS? it will link JB to woodland via the MRT extension
Wait for southern double track project. Then u will have ETS to JB. ETS plus RTS it will be just like HSR.
Those “people” who scrambled to purchase the land along the HSR line will cry out loud now.
Those people are mainly kronies and Government officials who knew where the tracks were being laid. now padan muka
This is a form of corruption you know
Damn right. Someone was/is selling a terraced house in Pura Kencana, Batu Pahat for 1 FOCKING MILLION!! I hate this kind of people!
Nobody ask you to buy so don’t complain
You are a liar. You hate people got 1 Focking Million. You lie. I stay in Pura Kencana. Terrace House there are selling at 400K, NOT FOCKING 1 MILLION! It is these people like YOU who make Malaysia 1 step back. If you want to comment, please comment properly. Show that you are a mature guy, gay or gals.
Very uncomfortable and sad, HSR got cancelled.
No worries, u can always vote back for BN
I would like to suggest instead of HSR, asks PLUS to create a new 2 lane highway from pedas direct to JB bypassing ayer keroh, tangkak, yong peng etc. No commercial vehicle is allowed to use this and maximum speed is maybe 125kmh. This will have a similar effect to HSR while reducing the load on current south stretch which can be slowed down by interchanges and narrow 2 lanes. The new one will have a better effect as instead of widening the highway from 4 to 6 lanes it become 8 lanes in total and average travelling speed is also reduced by between 25-30%.
Also make the R&R to be in the centre of the highway where both northbound and southbound share the same facility.
Brilliant idea bro….
Yeah, why don’t increase the current 2 lane highway to maybe 4 to 6 lanes? This would certainly cost much much lesser than the HSR.
110 billion project 10 billion surely goes into the pocket of umno and barisan people who survivr by stealing money form taxpayers
I think its much more than that. Maybe nearly 30%
It is usually 20%
Those pockets r from Tun cronies lar.
Can u bring out the proof of what u said?
Fitnah tu tak baik especially in Ramadan tau, john?
We even stole frm Br1m. I wuz frm umno
But Tun M cancelled the project
enough la john….3 years we heard about your propaganda….we are fed up
Fake statements like this that incite hatred resulted in BN suffering from heavy losses in the first place
Drop the damn thing. Utter rubbish.
Support Tun:)
Tun M has his reasons but more evaluation will have to be done to consider the benefits. If the Government does not want this because it has NO Money. PLEASE give the project to the PRIVATE Sector to build and Operate the HSR. Malaysian Expertise will be enhanced and OUR Rail Engineering Skills World Class. Malaysia have experts in this field with almost 10 local bidders. The Government can support the loan from the Asian Development Bank and Japanese EXIM Banks. WHY waste this Opportunity. MALAYSIA BOLEH. We do not been the MoF to pay for this project. Tun M should LET GO to the PRIVATE SECTOR TO BENEFIT THE RAKHYAT. SYABAS
Most hsr in other countries are already failed. Taiwan failed, Spain failed (almost bankrupted them).
If he says no return, who would want to waste money investing in this project? Just to ponder, who would want to pay a train ticket that is going to be more expensive than travelling first class flight to a destination farther away?
later on hard to get profit mintak gomen bail-out jugak..in the end stil gomen..prftt
Projek terbaru Kos tinggi atau projek tu anak dia yg Tak dpt.
I think no private sector will take. based on the cost to build, almost impossible to earn. at the end need government to bail out.
This will ruin our Malaysia’s tourism sector indirectly. I believe tourism is 3rd industry which contributing fund for our economy. For now this project is unnecessary for Malaysia.
In the end…no more tolls = more people on the higway and no hsr = less people on the railroad….exactly what the people need :(.
Bapak follow the Chinese theory that traffic jams means prosperity, so eternal jams means eternal prosperity lor.
You are correct. We Malaysian don’t want MRT, LRT, HSR, ERL, ECRL. We want ZERO CAR IMPORT TAX, we want RM1.50 per liter petrol, we want all highways TOLL FREE. We don’t want Speed Camera. Insya Allah, ALL THIS WILL BECOME TRUE WITHIN 100 DAYS. I love Tun. You are my hero. Hidup TUN!
Surely if you look purely on the debt alone, this project deserves a place at the bottom of the dustbin. But government projects have never been assessed that way. Case in point being MRT, LRT, the loss-making Rapid buses and Putrajaya itself which is the single largest PFI project Malaysia has ever undertaken under the you-know-who.
The fact that KUL – SIN route being the busiest international route in the world surely doesn’t help with the justification. Not to mention, the potential spillover economic effects to the towns where those stops were supposed to be. Alas, these are the justifications used by the previous administration.
I would really like to hear what EPU and UKAS DG and people from MOF have to say about this. If they can’t defend projects their departments came up with, wholeheartedly, surely they don’t deserve to be holding those posts. If this project is a total shit right from the start, with risks far out weighting the benefits, why they did give the go ahead?
They shouldn’t be afraid. They don’t answer to BN government anymore.
Isn’t it obvious by now, they’re scrapping it because if they proceed with it, PH is to govt of the day but the BN cronies and ex-ministers are still profiting from it.
Give it a year or two. They’re already assembling their own cronies behind the scenes to reboot this project under a different name. Some PH-friendly businessmen are already being tapped. Whether it materialises or not, we’ll see.. but things are already being set in motion. I’ve already been approached by business partners who are aligned to the new guard so I guess a few others in the know would be too.
This is not about the pros and cons of the project. It is about reducing the debt, our current debt, which they say is reaching 1 trillion already.
BN gov can always win back with fake votes to rebuild the project, no problem
Yes but those department heads all worked for BN and all their contractors are all their family members. So, no point asking them
They will sing a lovely tune about how useful the rail is
Just think back Tun’s key word during the press conference “we will not make a single sen from it”
Why did he say like that? My humble guess is “low ridership” due to the high ticket price, assume we we build shinkasen line. did u know that AA and Malindo daily flights from KLIA to Changi most of it being priced btw RM 99 – RM 150 / 1 way?
Logically, can “shinkasen bolehland” tickets be priced at that level when the HSR development cost = RP 60 B or more. If I still recall correctly, shinkasen ticket from Osaka to Fukuoka Japan cost RM 700+ (one way). My staff was sent there for a business trip and he came back to claim his bill in 2013! Distance O to F was approx 600 km.
Simple Maths: 350 km / 600 km x RM 750 = RM 440. then say we give a 25% “developing nation” discount (coz Japan is hi cost country) = RM330 per way.
Based on above cost scenario, which one u choose? By Air or Rail. Your answer will be as good as mine :)
If KUL-SIN is busiest route as you claimed why don’t we increase the number of flights. In fact faster than HSR…
Justify the realistic ROI of RM110 BILLION la.. in Gov current debt obligation. RM110 BILLION.
well said.
Some of you don’t understand my points. Allow me to simplify.
Mahathir said cannot do, because on debt alone, cannot recoup. Correct?
Najib said can do, because the spillover effects can recoup the investment. Correct?
Now, who is telling the truth? Who is taking us for a ride?
You think, or I think why PM do this or do that is immaterial. Like coffee shop talk.
That’s why we have to ask the right people. The people who know the details are the same ones serving previous and current government.
They should come out and explain to the public why before this can, and now cannot?
If their hands were tied before, they are not anymore.
Definitely a wise move. SIA already begin to feel a pinch of rising operating cost, let alone MAS. KL-SG its their golden goose.
Try to think what happen when HSR as it finished later.
Nak merasa shinkansen? Pg jepun. Dr tokyo ke osaka rm500++ one way je yerrrrrr. Ambik masa 2jam+
Dear John, please let the thieves to rob your house and take away all your cash and belongings. DO NOT make any police report after that as you are subsidizing the thieves. Thank you!
Now wonder SG PM rushed to see Bapak. Now his high income earner “citizens” are safe from migration to KL, he can smile from ear to ear.
What about the already build structures for that project? What are you gonna do with it? Jeluk pekasam??
What about the already build structures for that project? What are you gonna do with it? Celuk pekasam??
The Gemas-JB double-track project is about to start anyway. So constructing 2 new railway lines parallel to each other at about the same time seems like overkill to me, especially since we don’t have the money.
But to have an HSR in the future from Singapore to KL, and eventually to Penang, is certainly a nice-to-have infrastructure in our country. It does bring our country up a notch.
Connecting the two cities is VITAL to form a joint ASEAN hub, they really should consider upgrading the current KTM system to make it higher speed and go directly to singapore.
KL Needs a second new rail hub too, so i think Bandar Malaysia should go on and connect the existing KTM.
MRT 2 and MRT 3 are absolute musts and i hope the new govt doesn’t abolish them!
500million compensation. 500 mil free angpow to S’pore. 500!!. This is stupid.
This is just plain idiot, they should go ahead with it
When mahathir was the fourth pm, the idea for the electrified double track project are from thailand to singapore. And he has a vision of a shinkansen type train. But we only got ets gemas-padang besar
Projek terbaru Kos tinggi atau projek tu anak dia yg Tak dpt.
If u look at the broaden pictures, China will be Asian and ASEAN, and KL and Singapore will be the hub. If you look at the population growth of China, and Malaysian, a tiny country, will benefit from the KL and Singapore, via the HSR (cancelled) via the Double Trak- see whether they can maximize to 3+ from 5 hour. The city via the stops will benefit from the property, f&b too, long term. If HSR better for us, but if double trak, reduce to 3+ from 5 hours. It the government debt for instance, say lim guan eng, 80% for Malaysia (for the record majority is local), but u look at China, at 80%, Japan is at 200% etc… US is 100% (has to be foreign) Please look at the internet sources. Government is debt, but would be high bank borrowing, people and u and me, will try and reduce our borrowing. Government is good for bank borrowing, and people reduce the borrowing.
Maybe just do from Singapore to Johore and that save alot of money. Also conjestion shall cease and need no or little compassion. Later, may extend to where we can afford when got fund and need to.
110b project has to be cancelled coz no money…just keep the gst running for antother 3 yrs…1 yr can get 40b…three yrs already 120b…then revert back to sst hehe…u still get extra 10b for BR1M to those affected with gst
Perhaps government could consider developing Skudai station into a KTM junction and convert old KTM station in JB to MRT. This way, perhaps we can also finally rationalise between the different types of rolling stock and associated signalling. Perhaps….
Sarawak belum ada lebuhraya yang standard, semenanjung sudah mau bina highspeed train, Pui….
Im happy the project has been called off cuz the cost partially has to be paid by the natural gas and oil exploited in Sarawak where many areas are still struggling for electricity.
Maybe Tun nak galakkan sektor penerbangan domestik.
Dear Tun, for that compensation I suggest we just trade with our huge load of palm oil instead of money, and yes..please negotiate and renegotiated until we have only to pay minimum amount of penalty. Lastly, claim it from UMNO and Najib coffers also.
Singapore just 15km and MY has 335km of HSR yet we, MY has to compensate Singapore if we cancelled this HSR??? Really? Did SG forgotten they didn’t fully investigate and report 1MDB case 100%?? just closed few small investment bank and jailed banker doesn’t do righteous enough…
Dear Tun M, please pressure SG to dig more 1MDB and divulge everything! It’s time for this pirate nation of SEA(top money laundering destination) to remorse and repent!
Not forgetting, SG need to improve their custom and immigration….. daily jam at causeway is purposely directed by their government. 2 years ago, after Johor Sultan voiced out, everything improved 1000x and then it slowly creeps back as before….. who will believe one of the world most efficient government has such custom and immigration on land, yet their air (changi) are ranked world best……
Just cancel it. No benefit to kampung folks like me. I have no money to shop in singapore. Wait… you mean this project is for rich people to easy travel to singapore and back for shopping? And they use government money to built this? Should be a private project if any entity dare to takeover.
Assuming HSR operating from 6am to 12am every day (18hours) with 90min (ride) + 30min (embark & disembark), there would be 18 trips for both ways (9 trips/way). A 1,000 passenger ride/train with rm250 ticket (KL-SG / SG-KL), each day HSR could carry a maximum number of 18,000 passengers @ RM4.5 mil ticket sales per day which roughly brings to RM1.65bil revenue a year. For 40 years, the total ticket sales would be RM65.7 billion and still could not cover the total development cost. This calculation is on 100% full-fare ridership with no train breakdown at all for 40 years and EXCLUDES any operating cost. No wonder TDM said we will not earn a single cent.
So, HSR is off. Does this mean the Crooked Bridge in back on? Yeah, the main reason why the present PM got so angry with the previous PM for not following his instruction and failed to keep his promise to build the bridge? Just asking
non feasible project – ECRL included. the ticket price would be beyond the reach of many. Flights has so much potential to improve including using larger planes (lower cost/seat), better technology. Can’t be said much about HSR – whether we could afford changing the train oftenly enough just like the Japs. The cost is too high to justify it now.