Malaysia, S’pore to discuss HSR’s fate this month
KUALA LUMPUR: Discussions between Malaysia and Singapore on the fate of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project will be held this month.
Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said an official request on the meeting had been submitted to Singapore.
Azmin was in the republic over the weekend, but denied that his trip was to meet officials there over the HSR project.
He said he was there to call on Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is recovering from a surgery at a hospital in the island republic.
“But I did take the opportunity to meet senior officials on the HSR. It was a very positive meeting,” he said.
Last month, Azmin said the overall cost of the project could reach more than RM110 billion.
He said this was more than the amount estimated by the previous Barisan Nasional government, which had put the cost at between RM54 billion and RM74 billion.
Azmin said the lower estimate was due to the previous government not revealing the hidden costs of the project.
If Kuala Lumpur cancels the project, Singapore will try to recover the costs it has incurred in preparing for the HSR, which have exceeded S$250 million (RM743.95 million).
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said he was cancelling the HSR project linking Singapore with the Malaysian capital over its huge cost.
He said Malaysia would discuss with its southern neighbour any compensation it would have to pay over a cancellation.