Singapore open to fresh HSR proposals from Malaysia: Lee

KUALA LUMPUR – Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the republic is open to fresh proposals from Malaysia on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project although both countries have previously agreed to terminate the project.

Lee said the transport ministries from both countries would discuss the matter and Singapore looked forward to receiving more details from Malaysia.

“Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) has suggested the revival of discussions on the HSL, and I responded to the PM that Singapore and Malaysia had previously reached an agreement to terminate the HSR project, which had been amicably settled and closed.

“Nevertheless, Singapore is open to fresh proposals from Malaysia on the HSR project, and the two transport ministries will discuss the matter.

“Singapore looks forward to receiving more details from Malaysia so that we can study them and consider the matter again starting from a clean slate,” he said.

Lee was speaking at a joint press conference with Ismail Sabri today, which was also streamed live via his official Facebook page.

On January 1, Malaysia and Singapore jointly announced the termination of the HSR project, as both countries failed to reach an agreement on changes proposed by Malaysia before the project agreement lapsed on December 31, 2020. 

In March this year, Malaysia announced that it had paid SG$102.8 million (RM318.4 million) to Singapore for costs incurred in the development of the HSR project and in relation to the extension of its suspension.

Meanwhile, on the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project, Lee said the construction of the project was ongoing, and both countries looked forward to the system commencing passenger services by end-2026.

The RTS Link is a 4km cross-border rail project that links the Singapore terminus at the Woodlands North station to the Malaysia terminus in Bukit Chagar, Johor Baru.

It will support a peak capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri later told reporters in Singapore that discussions on reviving the HSR project would be carried out by the two transport ministries and the new proposal would be brought to the cabinet.

“This is still at a very preliminary stage. We will study it in detail. As the previous agreement was terminated, revisiting the project would require a new agreement,” he said. – Bernama pic, November 29, 2021