Plan early to reap benefits of HSR project – Mas Ermieyati
ALOR GAJAH: The Kuala Lumpur– Singapore High Speed Rail ( HSR) Project will help boost the people’s economy through the increase of tourist arrivals in the country, said Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
She said the project would also bring a positive impact on efforts to develop and boost the country’s tourism sector and provide many job opportunities in the sector.
As such, she said all parties, including the states that would become transit stations for the HSR were asked to make proper development planning and implement it as soon as possible in an effort to support the project.
“The project will also create many economic opportunities and bring many long- term benefits to all parties, especially to the people of the states that are involved in the implementation of the project,” she told reporters, here yesterday.
Earlier, she handed over essential items to 76 Haj pilgrims around the Masjid Tanah parliamentary constituency here, which was also attended by Melaka Tabung Haji (TH) director Zakaria Puteh and Masjid Tanah TH manager Ramlan Saino.
The 350km rail will reduce travel time between the two countries to just 90 minutes, with speeds of over 300km/hour.
The HSR project will have eight stations, namely Bandar Malaysia, Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat, Iskandar Puteri, and Singapore.
Mas Ermieyati said all development planning aimed at obtaining various economic spillover from the implementation of the HSR project should start now.
“The spillover ( from the HSR project) will be enjoyed on a longterm basis, the implementation of development projects should begin now not after everything (the HSR project) has been completed.
“We also need to work together to enjoy the spillover benefits from the implementation of the HSR project,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati advised the people not to jump to conclusion or make their own judgment on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.
“We do not need to be judges, lawyers or prosecutors in this 1MDB issue. Let the parties involved do their investigation so that it can be resolved amicably,” she said. — Bernama