The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, has revealed that he plans to revive the cancelled Malaysia-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) link project next year.
In an interview with the Singapore publication The Straits Times, Sultan Ibrahim, who is set to be the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong next year, said he has some ideas on reviving the project.
Sultan Ibrahim asserted that the line could be funded through a private finance initiative in which the government pays the contractor to operate the line on a 30-year lease.
This way, the government can recoup its costs before taking ownership of the HSR.
Besides that, Sultan Ibrahim commented that the HSR between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore should also be aligned with Forest City being the border crossing.
The HSR link project was first announced in 2013 but was delayed by the Pakatan Harapan administration when they came into power in 2018.
Afterwards, under the Perikatan Nasional administration in 2021, the HSR link project was cancelled by then Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. As a result of the termination, Malaysia compensated Singapore SGD102.8 million.
However, in August this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia would submit a new proposal regarding the project to Singapore.
So, what do you guys think of the Sultan Ibrahim’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: “No-nonsense King” – Tough Times Ahead for PMX Under Sultan Johor’s Reign as Next King, Says TMJ
