Anwar: Govt to study impact of Japanese firms’ decision to opt out of KL-S’pore high-speed rail project

SEPANG,. The government will study the impact of the Japanese rail firms’ decision to opt out of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Will look at it, I just received the report,” Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, told the media after performing Friday prayers at the Al-Hijrah Mosque in Desa Pinggiran Putra, here today.

According to Kyodo News report, the Japanese firms have decided to drop their plans to get involved in a high-speed rail project as sources said it “will be too risky without the Malaysian government’s financial support”.

In July 2023, MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR) launched a Request for Information (RFI) process to enable the private sector to formally submit concept proposals for the HSR project through a public-private partnership model. It also held an RFI briefing for the project, which reportedly attracted over 700 local and international participants.

The implementation of the RFI process also signifies the government’s initiative to revive the HSR project through new financing mechanisms and execution models, as well as efforts to enhance rail transport infrastructure and boost the country’s economy.

The RFI deadline for the project is Jan 15.

–Bernama