Govt Still Weighing Options For KL–Singapore HSR Project - Loke

The government has yet to reach a final decision on the Kuala Lumpur–Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, nearly two years after private companies were invited to submit concept proposals.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the evaluation of submissions from the Request for Information (RFI) exercise conducted by MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd was presented to the Cabinet on Jan 8, but he did not reveal the outcome.

“Following that decision, the Ministry of Transport, together with relevant ministries and agencies, is currently finalising the key parameters as part of the process to determine the most suitable model for this private sector–led project before proceeding to the next stage which is the Request for Proposal,” Loke said in a written reply on Tuesday.

He stressed that the government intends for the HSR to be fully funded and driven by the private sector, without direct government spending.

In July 2023, MyHSR opened the call for concept proposals from both local and international players under a public-private partnership model.

First announced in 2010 by then Prime Minister Najib Razak, the HSR was meant to cut travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to just 90 minutes, compared to more than four hours by car.

However, the project was suspended in 2018 following a change in administration, and terminated in January 2021 after both countries failed to agree on key terms. 

Malaysia later paid over RM320 million in compensation to Singapore for costs incurred during the planning and suspension period.

While the government remains open to reviving the project through private sector investment, no firm decision or timeline has been set, leaving the long-awaited HSR still at a crossroads.