Challenging to revive HSR now, says ex-Prasarana boss

 

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has called for the KL-Singapore high-speed rail project to be revived and realigned to run through Forest City in Iskandar Puteri, Johor. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is not ready for the proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project to be revived, according to former Prasarana Malaysia CEO Ridza Abdoh Salleh.

He said irrespective of whether it is to be privately or publicly funded, the economic climate does not favour the project’s revival at the present time.

Ridza also claimed that it was Singapore, rather than Malaysia and Johor, which stands to gain the lion’s share of the project’s economic benefits, as the city-state is a regional hub for various sectors.

“Since a major portion of the project is in Malaysia, almost 90% of the cost will have to be borne by Malaysia, but the economic advantages will significantly benefit Singapore,” he told FMT.

The HSR is bound to be more costly than any light rail or mass transit project, which could affect the project’s financial viability, Ridza added.

He said Malaysia should instead focus on reducing the national debt, which currently stands at RM1.5 trillion, to a more acceptable level of about RM800 billion.

Johor ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who will become Yang di-Pertuan Agong in January, recently called for the HSR project to be revived, and for it to be realigned to run through Forest City, a property development built on reclaimed land in the Johor Straits.

In 2016, Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement for the construction of the 350km rail project.

Scheduled to be completed in 2026, the HSR, with trains running at speeds of up to 300km/h, was expected to cut travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes.

The project was suspended by the Pakatan Harapan government in September 2018. It was revived in December 2018 with adjustments made to contain costs.

However, in 2021, the project was axed by the Perikatan Nasional government, a decision that saw Malaysia pay Singapore RM320 million in compensation.

The current government has said it is open to reviving the billion ringgit project provided it is funded by the private sector, not Putrajaya.

Meanwhile, tourism and transport consultant YS Chan said the HSR would bring indirect benefits to Malaysia. It would also cost less if built sooner rather than later, he said.

“When the travel time is only 90 minutes and there is no long check-in time for flights, there will be a greater flow of travellers on both business and leisure trips, leading to more investments and tourism expenditure that can greatly benefit both countries,” he said.

Chan suggested the government establish “transit-oriented developments” by building factories, industrial centres and homes around HSR stations, including in remote areas.

He also agreed with Sultan Ibrahim’s suggestion that the HSR pass through Forest City, adding that having the right target audience “see and feel” the project for themselves could spark its revival. - FMT