KL-SG HSR to be revived? Cabinet to decide by Jan, followed by discussions with S’pore if ‘Yes’ – Loke

KL-SG HSR to be revived? Cabinet to decide by Jan, followed by discussions with S’pore if ‘Yes’ – Loke

On, off, maybe? It’s shocking that the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project – first agreed upon by Malaysia and Singapore more than a decade ago (2013) is still in the news. Can’t we just make a decision and stick with it?

According to transport minister Anthony Loke, the cabinet is set to make a decision on the revival of the HSR project by the end of December or early January. However, he said that the upcoming policy paper on the project will not be the final verdict on whether the HSR will be reinstated.

The Seremban MP said that the cabinet decision will not conclude the matter but will instead set the direction for future discussions with Singapore.

KL-SG HSR to be revived? Cabinet to decide by Jan, followed by discussions with S’pore if ‘Yes’ – Loke

“Approval from the cabinet is not the final word on the project. This is a cross-border initiative, and it can only move forward after we engage in discussions with the Singapore government,” Loke told NST in an interview that was published yesterday.

Here’s a recap and timeline of the KL-SG HSR – you might want to grab a coffee. The project was first agreed upon by Malaysia and Singapore in February 2013, and in December 2016, the two countries signed a bilateral agreement to facilitate the project, which was supposed to have begun construction in 2018 and completed in 2025, with operations slated to begin in 2026. This was during Datk Seri Najib Razak’s time as PM.

In September 2018, at the request of Malaysia (now with PH’s Tun Mahathir Mohamad as PM), both governments agreed to postpone the project until May 31, 2020 to allow for the identification of cost reduction options, including reviewing and optimising the alignment, station locations and the business model. The deferment resulted in Malaysia paying S$15 million (around RM45.1 million at the time) as compensation for the abortive costs incurred by Singapore. The payment was made at the end of January 2019.

KL-SG HSR to be revived? Cabinet to decide by Jan, followed by discussions with S’pore if ‘Yes’ – Loke

In May 2020, the deferment was again extended to December 31. The decision to cancel the project will incur cost for the country. Previously, it was reported that Malaysia would have to reimburse Singapore for the project implementation costs incurred by the latter up to the point of suspension.

The HSR project was called off on January 1, 2021, after Singapore could not agree to Malaysia’s proposed changes.

“Both governments had conducted several discussions with regard to these changes and had not been able to reach an agreement. Therefore, the HSR agreement had lapsed on December 31, 2020. Both countries will abide by their respective obligations, and will now proceed with the necessary actions, resulting from this termination of the HSR agreement,” read a joint statement by then Malaysian PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and former Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong.

KL-SG HSR to be revived? Cabinet to decide by Jan, followed by discussions with S’pore if ‘Yes’ – Loke

In March 2021, Malaysia announced that it had paid S$102.8 million (RM318 million) to Singapore for costs incurred for the development of the HSR project and in relation to the extension of its suspension.

A year later, Malaysia found itself a new PM in Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and during this time, Malaysia initiated HSR revival talks with its southern neighbour. Fast forward to the current ‘Madani’ administration led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – in July 2023, it was reported that the government was looking at a public-private partnership model that would see the HSR built without using public funds.

The HSR was originally 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.

The service was projected to run 10 car-long trains – with the capacity for up to 100 passengers per car – at average speeds of 300 km/h, which would bring the rail travel time between KL and Singapore down to 90 minutes, excluding clearance at customs, immigration and quarantine.

In 2018, a much cheaper alternative to the HSR was mooted, and this proposed an upgrade to existing rail infrastructure instead of the HSR’s approach of building a new line from scratch. This more affordable alternative – with a much longer 130-minute travel time – was then estimated to cost the Malaysian government RM20 billion, a far lower sum than the HSR’s estimated cost of between RM60 billion to RM70 billion.

We’ve had four PMs after Najib and HSR is still making headlines. The next general election must be called before February 17, 2028. Who knows?

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Lala Land on Dec 19, 2024 at 5:22 pm

    Just need to topple this present government. A bunch of useless people. Just give us more taxes and increase price of things.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 10
    • Special Branch on Dec 19, 2024 at 6:15 pm

      Are you agent of Islamic Republic of Malaisha ?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
    • CCP agent on Dec 20, 2024 at 1:46 pm

      Not gonna make any difference. We’ve experienced both PH and PN as gomen. Might as well turn this country into an absolute monarchy like Brunei or Saudi.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Stupid PH gomen stop it, now they want it back. Already lost millions to pay the SG. Bodoh.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
    • Kea Was on Dec 21, 2024 at 3:18 am

      Wasn’t it canceled and paid in 2021 guess who’s the government back then maybe u need to check your facts.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Peppa on Dec 19, 2024 at 11:33 pm

    Stop with this delusion by being too ambitious. Why don’t you prioritize more mrt line on Klang Valley you moron

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • Kea Was on Dec 20, 2024 at 10:10 am

    So can we claim back the RM320,000,000 of our tax payers money paid by Asmint during PN time when it was canceled and less than a year later talks about reviving it where he is also part of the government?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Sapu jgn x sapu on Dec 20, 2024 at 1:10 pm

    what a bunch of clowns, cost for HSR back in 2013 wouldve been much more cheaper than now. i wouldn’t be surprised if YTL won this as well. Kroni to the max. dulu rakyat Kroni skrg Only the ultra rich are Kroni back to Mahathirs umbrella economic policy

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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