No high speed rail between Malaysia and Singapore ... yet
Apr 16, 2019, 12:51 am
#1
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No high speed rail between Malaysia and Singapore ... yet
Is Dr M going to try to delay the HSR further... or is this another negotiating tactic?
What I think is very interesting is the comment about an HSR all the way to Penang. The limited route between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur always struck me as both bizarre and short sighted.
I am still uncertain about the actual benefits to the country as a result of high speed rail. However, it would make it possible to live outside of the more expensive urban centres.
Dr M: Malaysia does not need high-speed rail … for now
What I think is very interesting is the comment about an HSR all the way to Penang. The limited route between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur always struck me as both bizarre and short sighted.
I am still uncertain about the actual benefits to the country as a result of high speed rail. However, it would make it possible to live outside of the more expensive urban centres.
Dr M: Malaysia does not need high-speed rail … for now
CYBERJAYA: Malaysia does not feel that a high-speed rail (HSR) system is necessary for now, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The Prime Minister said the country's main focus right now would be to improve its existing rail system through electrification and double-tracking.
“At the moment, a high-speed rail is not too necessary, especially if it is just between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
“So we won't build the HSR just yet.
“But we will want to improve the quality and the services of our existing railway system.
“That can be done, and has been done to some extent by double-tracking and electrification.
“Electrification also does not pollute the environment and, at the same time, allows us to travel at high speed.
“With double-tracking on our railways, this will allow trains to pass each other without having to stop,” said Dr Mahathir, during a question and answer session at a dialogue with the Malaysia Rail Industry Corporation here Tuesday (April 16).
Dr Mahathir also spoke about the possibility of a high-speed rail from Johor Baru all the way to Penang, and possibly, the border of Thailand.
However, he said this was not discussed with Singapore, adding that the arrangement between the two countries was just for the service to be between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Last September, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to a two-year suspension on the HSR project, which ends in May 2020.
The government has reimbursed S$15mil (RM45.6mil) to Singapore for suspending the project.
The Prime Minister said the country's main focus right now would be to improve its existing rail system through electrification and double-tracking.
“At the moment, a high-speed rail is not too necessary, especially if it is just between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
“So we won't build the HSR just yet.
“But we will want to improve the quality and the services of our existing railway system.
“That can be done, and has been done to some extent by double-tracking and electrification.
“Electrification also does not pollute the environment and, at the same time, allows us to travel at high speed.
“With double-tracking on our railways, this will allow trains to pass each other without having to stop,” said Dr Mahathir, during a question and answer session at a dialogue with the Malaysia Rail Industry Corporation here Tuesday (April 16).
Dr Mahathir also spoke about the possibility of a high-speed rail from Johor Baru all the way to Penang, and possibly, the border of Thailand.
However, he said this was not discussed with Singapore, adding that the arrangement between the two countries was just for the service to be between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Last September, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to a two-year suspension on the HSR project, which ends in May 2020.
The government has reimbursed S$15mil (RM45.6mil) to Singapore for suspending the project.
Apr 18, 2019, 1:07 pm
#2
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Tony Fernandes certainly does not want this link built. As an outsider with limited knowledge of the current flight capacity, it seems like a fairly obvious and high volume route. The drive is too long and the current train route is a complete joke. I think KL would only benefit from this as SG is a much bigger tourist destination than KL. There are surely many people, myself included, who have seriously looked at adding a side trip to KL to a trip to SG, but decided against it due to the inconvenient logistics of getting there. If I need to deal with 2 airports and a flight, I can reach just about anywhere in SEA in a comparable amount of time, for a comparable amount of money. The very poor will not benefit, but that is true of just about anything. The rising middle class would surely benefit, and it does create jobs.
Apr 26, 2019, 1:48 pm
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Apr 27, 2019, 9:58 am
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Apr 27, 2019, 8:35 pm
#5
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However, as Malaysia has said it's in deep debt, it might well be that cost is at the top of the agenda.
Apr 27, 2019, 8:38 pm
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[geeky hat ON] I think HKG TPE, and maybe a couple more routes might have the edge in terms of capacity/passengers carried, rather than the number of flights. [hat OFF]
SIN KUL must be one the shortest of the highest density international air routes, for the reasons discussed here - the lack of comfortable, efficient surface routes between the city centres. There are very frequent bus services, but while these are cheap and comfortable, they are never going to cut it with the "premium" customer base in the way a high-speed rail link would.
Malaysia handing over its rights to the track through Singapore to the city's station was the death knell of the rail link. There is no political will to revive it. It makes little sense to outsiders, but could be pressure from the air transport lobby, and/or simply lack of interest from Singapore (and Malaysia taking a face saving route out of it).
SIN KUL must be one the shortest of the highest density international air routes, for the reasons discussed here - the lack of comfortable, efficient surface routes between the city centres. There are very frequent bus services, but while these are cheap and comfortable, they are never going to cut it with the "premium" customer base in the way a high-speed rail link would.
Malaysia handing over its rights to the track through Singapore to the city's station was the death knell of the rail link. There is no political will to revive it. It makes little sense to outsiders, but could be pressure from the air transport lobby, and/or simply lack of interest from Singapore (and Malaysia taking a face saving route out of it).
Apr 28, 2019, 2:33 am
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I think the KL-S'pore HSR would make a lot of sense, but if Malaysia cannot afford it, then they can't afford it. OTOH if it were just a "normal" rail, with service up to 200km/h (instead of 300+) it would still make a lot of sense at possibly lower prices, due to less demanding rail infrastructure. Politics are of course another thing to consider.
Apr 28, 2019, 2:37 am
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I found this link somewhere on FT https://www.oag.com/hubfs/Free_Repor...%202018-A4.pdf
Apr 28, 2019, 8:05 pm
#9
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I think the KL-S'pore HSR would make a lot of sense, but if Malaysia cannot afford it, then they can't afford it. OTOH if it were just a "normal" rail, with service up to 200km/h (instead of 300+) it would still make a lot of sense at possibly lower prices, due to less demanding rail infrastructure. Politics are of course another thing to consider.
May 2, 2019, 10:03 pm
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As far as the tracks,they have been removed for a while already and if I am not mistaken whole former track is going to be turned into Green Corridor Park - last year at Bukit Timah area there was full scale construction going on.
Going back to HSR - it would made sense if it could have one, maxxum two stops before reaching KL, but no - there were about 8 stations total...
May 2, 2019, 11:15 pm
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The end was a long drawn out, rather messy affair, with bad will on both sides about customs/immigration formalities and where to relocate the Singapore terminus. At one stage this was to be at Bukit Timah.
Formally, financial compensation for Malaysia ceding its land and infrastructure to Singapore was a majority share in land/property development company M+S.
May 21, 2019, 11:08 pm
#13
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While the HSR appears to still be suspended.. there has been some sign of movement on the Malaysia side [Call for tenders for KL-Singapore high-speed rail commercial advisory consultant]
May 21, 2019, 11:25 pm
#14
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Tony Fernandes certainly does not want this link built. As an outsider with limited knowledge of the current flight capacity, it seems like a fairly obvious and high volume route. The drive is too long and the current train route is a complete joke. I think KL would only benefit from this as SG is a much bigger tourist destination than KL. There are surely many people, myself included, who have seriously looked at adding a side trip to KL to a trip to SG, but decided against it due to the inconvenient logistics of getting there. If I need to deal with 2 airports and a flight, I can reach just about anywhere in SEA in a comparable amount of time, for a comparable amount of money. The very poor will not benefit, but that is true of just about anything. The rising middle class would surely benefit, and it does create jobs.
