After paying RM320m to axe KL-S'pore HSR, PM now proposes revival

After paying RM320m to axe KL-S'pore HSR, PM now proposes revival

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has proposed a revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) after his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin terminated the project at a cost of RM320 million.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the proposed revival was conveyed to him by Ismail Sabri during a bilateral meeting in the city-state today.

"The prime minister (Ismail Sabri) has suggested the revival of discussions on the HSR, and I responded to the PM that Singapore and Malaysia previously reached an agreement to terminally terminate the HSR project, and this was amicably settled and closed.

"Nevertheless, Singapore is open to fresh proposals from Malaysia on the HSR project, and the two ministries of transport 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," Lee was quoted as saying by Bernama.



Lee was speaking at a joint press conference with Ismail Sabri who is in Singapore for an official visit.

The KL-Singapore HSR agreement lapsed on Dec 31, 2020.

Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung previously said a stumbling block that led to the termination of the project was because Malaysia had wanted to remove the joint-tender mechanism under AsstsCo.

Ong said AssetsCo was necessary to ensure accountability and its removal was a fundamental departure from the HSR bilateral agreement and was unacceptable.

At the time, Muhyiddin's government justified that the proposed model would be too costly amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new model, it said, would give Putrajaya the freedom to appoint local contractors and consultants.

Malaysia forked out a total of S$102.8 million (RM320.07 million) to Singapore as compensation for aborting the project.