Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan (left) and Malaysian Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali inked the agreement at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya on Sept 5, 2018. (Source: straitstimes.com) Singapore (VNA) – Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to defer the construction of a high-speed railway linking the two countries until May 2020.
An agreement to this effect was signed by Malaysian Minister of Economic Affairs Azmin Ali and Singaporean Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on September 5.
Accordingly, the rail service launch is expected to be pushed back to 2031, rather than the original plan of 2026.
Malaysia will bear the agreed cost in suspending the project. If the project is not resumed after the suspension period, Malaysia will bear the cost incurred by Singapore.
The 17 billion USD project was signed by the two governments in December 2016.
Once operational, it will cut travel time between Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes from the current five hours. –VNA
VNA
