Completion Target For Spore-M'sia High Speed Rail Project To Be Re-Assessed

SINGAPORE, May 6 (Bernama) -- The initial completion target of 2020 for the High Speed Rail (HSR) project linking Singapore and Kuala Lumpur will need to be re-assessed given the scale and complexity of the project. This was announced by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak in a joint statement released after the Singapore-Malaysian Leaders' Retreat in the republic Tuesday. However, the leaders have reaffirmed that both countries were fully committed to the success of the project. The HSR, the first of its kind in the region, received considerable attention, both domestically and internationally, with many countries offering to share their experience and expertise for the project. Both leaders are encouraged by the support and attention from the global community, and looked forward to further progress on this game-changing iconic project, which will boost connectivity, facilitate travel between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore while enhance business linkages and improve people-to-people ties. Noting the steady progress of the project, the leaders said that agreements have been reached on the dual co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) configuration, the frequency bands to be reserved for HSR operations, as well as, locating the depot and stabling facilities in Malaysia. Lee announced that the Singapore HSR terminus would be sited at Jurong East, which dovetails with Singapore’s overall plans to transform the area into its second central business district. -- BERNAMA