Singapore, Malaysia working to agree on high-speed rail project by Q3
POSTED: 21 Mar 2015 21:04
Singapore's Ministry of Transport says both countries are working on "a number of complex issues, including the operating and financing models, that have to be jointly agreed upon”.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Transport Ministry has confirmed that it is working towards a third-quarter timeline to reach a bilateral agreement on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project.
In response to queries from Channel NewsAsia, a spokesperson on Saturday (Mar 21) said the ministry is working closely with its Malaysian counterparts on various aspects of the HSR project, and that both sides are working on
"a number of complex issues, including the operating and financing models, that have to be jointly agreed upon”.
The Malaysian Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) told Channel NewsAsia earlier this week that plans for the HSR project on the Malaysian side could only progress to the procurement stage after discussions with Singapore.
CEO of SPAD Mohd Nur Ismail Kamal said the open tender for the rail project would most likely take place in early 2016.
When completed in 2020, the HSR link between the two cities will reduce the overland journey time by half - to under three hours. It will be the first high-speed rail link in Southeast Asia.
- CNA/xq
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-malaysia/1731448.html