Singapore is open to starting on a “clean slate” on a proposed high-speed rail link with neighbouring Malaysia, Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in Parliament Thursday.
“Singapore is willing to discuss any new proposal for a Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail from Malaysia in good faith, starting from a clean slate,” Chee told lawmakers. “We have not received any new proposal from Malaysia.”
Malaysia said last month it will invite proposals from private companies, paving the way for reviving the project that was once estimated to cost more than 100 billion ringgit ($29.6 billion). The plan, which was agreed upon in 2016, suffered multiple delays because of escalating costs and was eventually scrapped in 2021 after both countries failed to reach an agreement.
The on-again, off-again 350-kilometre high-speed rail link would cut travel time between the centres down to about 90 minutes versus more than four hours by car. The service was previously due to start in 2026.
