KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to revive the high-speed rail (HSR) network between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (KL-SG HSR), according to recent reports. MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR Corp), a company under the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) and responsible for overseeing the project, has invited private companies to submit fresh proposals for the rail project. The government aims to improve intercity mobility, generate socio-economic development, reduce journey time, ensure safe and seamless travel, and enhance accessibility for second and third-tier cities.
To assess their readiness and capabilities, MyHSR Corp is soliciting concept proposals from local and international industry players. The company also seeks innovative business models and supplementary revenue-stream ideas for a privately funded structure, including the governance framework.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the KL-SG HSR stretched across six states and territories, including Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor, before crossing the Tebrau Strait into Singapore’s Jurong East. Utilizing state-of-the-art rolling stocks, the 350km journey from Bandar Malaysia to Jurong East could be completed in just 90 minutes through a non-stop service. Additionally, a transit service will be available to serve future growth centers in Bandar Malaysia, Sepang-Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat, and Iskandar Puteri.
In March of this year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke acknowledged receiving some offers from the private sector to revive the project. However, none of the offers were deemed concrete or attractive enough at that point. Datuk Seri Fauzi Abdul Rahman, the newly-appointed chairman of MyHSR Corp, stated that the KL-SG HSR project would provide numerous benefits for the people by enhancing and expanding economic dynamism from the Klang Valley to the southern corridor of the peninsula and the rest of Malaysia. He emphasized that the project would offer a safer, faster, more efficient, and sustainable travel option while generating long-term growth and sustainability for the people and the nation.
Datuk Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal, CEO of MyHSR Corp, expressed the importance of receiving high-quality proposals to determine the best way forward for the government. He emphasized the government’s initiative to reactivate the KL-SG HSR project through new funding mechanisms and implementation models to stimulate the national economy. Mohd Nur added that globally, HSR developments have proven to be growth engines, bringing about catalytic development, growth, and multiplier effects that benefit all walks of life.
The project briefing will be held at the Finance Ministry office in Putrajaya on July 27. For more information, visit www.myhsr.com.my/rfi.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
