By A Jalil Hamid and Sharen Kaur
Published in NST, July 14, 2016
PUTRAJAYA : MALAYSIA and Singapore will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 19 to facilitate the development of the high-speed rail (HSR) project between the two capitals.
The signing, to be witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, marks an important milestone in bilateral ties and will pave the way for the development of the ambitious multi-billion-dollar project - Southeast Asia's first high-speed rail link.
Diplomats and government sources said the MoU will be signed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who will represent Malaysia, and Singaporean Minister of Transport, Khaw Boon Wan.
The event will be held at Najib's official residence, Seri Perdana, in Putrajaya.
Others in attendance will include several ministers and diplomats from the two capitals, as well as key people from MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd and the Land Public Transport Commission.
Najib said in his opening remarks before a closed-door session with nearly 30 top United Kingdom fund managers in London in May that the MoU was targeted to be signed this month.
He dubbed the HSR project a huge game changer that had "aroused a lot of excitement worldwide".
According to sources, the signing of the MoU will pave the way for detailed negotiation of the main agreement, or bilateral agreement, which is expected to be signed by the end of this year.
The final negotiations will be centred on the planning, development and execution of the HSR link between the two countries and operations, the sources said.
"If you look at the 80/20 rule, even though in terms of content, the MoU is 20 per cent of the overall agreement, it represents all the key variables that need to be agreed upon within the two countries.
"So it is a major milestone in terms of getting all the basic grand rules that will set the future direction of the HSR project."
The HSR project was announced during the Malaysia-Singapore leaders retreat here in February 2013, but no cost estimation was given.
Business Times had reported that work on the HSR project might start in early 2018 at a likely cost of RM60 billion to RM65 billion.
This was based on the current estimated cost of US$10 million (RM3.9 million) per kilometre for the systems and tracks.
The civil infrastructure work is expected to cost three times more than that.
The HSR line involves a total of 350km, which will begin in Bandar Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and end at Jurong East in Singapore.
It will include a double-track on a standard gauge powered by high-speed technologies.
The HSR will have seven stops, a terminus each in Bandar Malaysia and Jurong East, and five transit stations in Seremban in Negri Sembilan, Ayer Keroh in Malacca and Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri in Johor.
At least 60 four-car trains worth around RM5 billion are required to serve the line.
The trains will run at a speed of more than 300kph.
Completion of the project is slated for 2027 and would cut travelling time from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to 1 1/2 hours.
/ends
Published in NST, July 14, 2016
PUTRAJAYA : MALAYSIA and Singapore will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 19 to facilitate the development of the high-speed rail (HSR) project between the two capitals.
The signing, to be witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, marks an important milestone in bilateral ties and will pave the way for the development of the ambitious multi-billion-dollar project - Southeast Asia's first high-speed rail link.
Diplomats and government sources said the MoU will be signed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who will represent Malaysia, and Singaporean Minister of Transport, Khaw Boon Wan.
The event will be held at Najib's official residence, Seri Perdana, in Putrajaya.
Others in attendance will include several ministers and diplomats from the two capitals, as well as key people from MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd and the Land Public Transport Commission.
Najib said in his opening remarks before a closed-door session with nearly 30 top United Kingdom fund managers in London in May that the MoU was targeted to be signed this month.
He dubbed the HSR project a huge game changer that had "aroused a lot of excitement worldwide".
According to sources, the signing of the MoU will pave the way for detailed negotiation of the main agreement, or bilateral agreement, which is expected to be signed by the end of this year.
The final negotiations will be centred on the planning, development and execution of the HSR link between the two countries and operations, the sources said.
"If you look at the 80/20 rule, even though in terms of content, the MoU is 20 per cent of the overall agreement, it represents all the key variables that need to be agreed upon within the two countries.
"So it is a major milestone in terms of getting all the basic grand rules that will set the future direction of the HSR project."
The HSR project was announced during the Malaysia-Singapore leaders retreat here in February 2013, but no cost estimation was given.
Business Times had reported that work on the HSR project might start in early 2018 at a likely cost of RM60 billion to RM65 billion.
This was based on the current estimated cost of US$10 million (RM3.9 million) per kilometre for the systems and tracks.
The civil infrastructure work is expected to cost three times more than that.
The HSR line involves a total of 350km, which will begin in Bandar Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and end at Jurong East in Singapore.
It will include a double-track on a standard gauge powered by high-speed technologies.
The HSR will have seven stops, a terminus each in Bandar Malaysia and Jurong East, and five transit stations in Seremban in Negri Sembilan, Ayer Keroh in Malacca and Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri in Johor.
At least 60 four-car trains worth around RM5 billion are required to serve the line.
The trains will run at a speed of more than 300kph.
Completion of the project is slated for 2027 and would cut travelling time from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to 1 1/2 hours.
/ends
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