The Malaysian government is still keen on the idea of reviving the HSR (high-speed rail) project from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
With that being said, our Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, mentioned that the suggestion is a possibility but only if they can secure the funds from private firms. In other words, no public funding.
Looking back at the HSR project between KL and Singapore which was inked back in 2016, the idea was for the 350km track to shorten the travel to just 90 minutes should the project gain traction and be completed in 2026. The Pakatan Harapan government then reviewed the project before throwing it into the bin.
That move resulted in the government fronting an RM320 million compensation to Singapore. Although Anwar Ibrahim was critical of the said project and its negotiations during his time as the opposition leader, he has now given the green light to Loke but if and only if they can secure funds from private firms.
Keyword: Govt open to reviving KL-SG HSR project - but only if it’s all privately funded