Singapore says Malaysia wants further deferral of joint rail project

Singapore said today it was reviewing a request by Malaysia to further suspend a high-speed rail project set to link the city-state to Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

In 2018, the countries agreed to defer by two years the project, which analysts have estimated to cost about US$17 billion, to allow for negotiations to reduce the cost.

With the May 31 deadline to decide on the fate of the project approaching, Singapore's transport minister Khaw Boon Wan said in a Facebook post on Friday: "In the last two weeks, Malaysia asked to extend the suspension period, to allow both sides to discuss the changes they have in mind.

"We are giving their request serious consideration."

Malaysia's ministry of international trade and industry, which has headed negotiations over the project, said it would not be issuing any statements on the matter for the moment.

- Reuters