Malaysia seeks KL-Singapore HSR delay pending review
A file picture of a KL-Singapore HSR station concept design.
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Months after the Malaysia signalled that it was rethinking the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) link, Malaysian Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is in charge of the project held an official meeting with his Singapore counterpart last Saturday.
Azmin told The Straits Times that his meeting with Singapore's Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in the Republic was "official... good and productive".
"I explained Malaysia's position on the project. The Minister for Infrastructure will have to bring it to Singapore's Cabinet," Azmin said.
A spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Transport confirmed the meeting was held. "The ministers discussed the HSR project and agreed to continue discussions in the coming weeks," she said.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration had initially expressed its desire to scrap the HSR project due to cost concerns after claiming that it had inherited more than RM1 trillion in debt from the previous Barisan Nasional government.
However, it later softened its stance, saying it would first have to negotiate with Singapore as there were penalties for cancelling the deal inked in December 2016.
Kuala Lumpur most recently said it would seek a deferment of the project it estimates will cost RM110bil and was originally slated to be completed in 2026.
But it had yet to convey this request formally to Singapore.
Khaw said last month that Singapore has spent more than S$250mil (RM743mil) on the project, and is likely to pour in another S$40mil (RM118mil) by the year end.
It had written officially to Malaysia in a diplomatic note on June 1 asking for clarity and a meeting to be held by July 31.
Azmin, charged with handling negotiations for Malaysia, had said he would try to meet the deadline but was busy with duties at the ongoing Parliament sitting.
In a letter to the Singapore government dated July 23, Azmin stated that the Malaysia was studying the details of the HSR project and will commence discussions with the Republic soon.
Singapore had welcomed Malaysia's suggestion to commence discussions on the project that will shorten travelling time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to only 90 minutes.
On Aug 6, Azmin said he had met "senior officials" in Singapore the previous weekend when he visited Malaysian Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was then hospitalised in the Republic. He said that "the official meeting will take place some time in August".
However, Singapore's Ministry of Transport said on Aug 7 that no meeting had taken place or had been scheduled between Azmin and Singapore officials overseeing the HSR. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
A file picture of a KL-Singapore HSR station concept design.
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Months after the Malaysia signalled that it was rethinking the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) link, Malaysian Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is in charge of the project held an official meeting with his Singapore counterpart last Saturday.
Azmin told The Straits Times that his meeting with Singapore's Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in the Republic was "official... good and productive".
"I explained Malaysia's position on the project. The Minister for Infrastructure will have to bring it to Singapore's Cabinet," Azmin said.
A spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Transport confirmed the meeting was held. "The ministers discussed the HSR project and agreed to continue discussions in the coming weeks," she said.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration had initially expressed its desire to scrap the HSR project due to cost concerns after claiming that it had inherited more than RM1 trillion in debt from the previous Barisan Nasional government.
However, it later softened its stance, saying it would first have to negotiate with Singapore as there were penalties for cancelling the deal inked in December 2016.
Kuala Lumpur most recently said it would seek a deferment of the project it estimates will cost RM110bil and was originally slated to be completed in 2026.
But it had yet to convey this request formally to Singapore.
Khaw said last month that Singapore has spent more than S$250mil (RM743mil) on the project, and is likely to pour in another S$40mil (RM118mil) by the year end.
It had written officially to Malaysia in a diplomatic note on June 1 asking for clarity and a meeting to be held by July 31.
Azmin, charged with handling negotiations for Malaysia, had said he would try to meet the deadline but was busy with duties at the ongoing Parliament sitting.
In a letter to the Singapore government dated July 23, Azmin stated that the Malaysia was studying the details of the HSR project and will commence discussions with the Republic soon.
Singapore had welcomed Malaysia's suggestion to commence discussions on the project that will shorten travelling time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to only 90 minutes.
On Aug 6, Azmin said he had met "senior officials" in Singapore the previous weekend when he visited Malaysian Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was then hospitalised in the Republic. He said that "the official meeting will take place some time in August".
However, Singapore's Ministry of Transport said on Aug 7 that no meeting had taken place or had been scheduled between Azmin and Singapore officials overseeing the HSR. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
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