Someone forwarded the news in Facebook. Yes, according to a report in The Malaysian Reserve, the High Speed Rail (KL – Singapore) has already been approved last Friday. This is a significant news for both Malaysia and Singapore no matter WHICH country is said to benefit more and which would benefit less. Truth is, without it, BOTH countries have zero benefits from it. That’s more important. Of course this piece of news gives more positive sentiment to Iskandar even if it has always been assumed to be a sure project from the beginning.
My personal thinking however would be that it would help Greater KL a lot as well. The reason is because currently it is just not attractive to drive all the way to KL. That’s the reason why majority of Singaporeans stop only at Melaka even if Melaka has her own attractions. If we consider the driving from Singapore to JB, the time needed during the holiday season would exceed the time needed for one whole family to travel from Singapore to KL, with five luggages to BUY to do lots of shopping. No joke, majority of the cars in Singapore CANNOT fit five luggages. Shopping is just one event. Staying over either in hotels or in their very own vacation home costing much lesser than their HDB flats back home is another attraction.
Tenders will start this year and construction will begin in 2016. It is indeed a tough goal to have the service operational by 2020 but as they say, aim at the sky, at least if you don’t reach it, you hit the clouds. Read here: High Speed Rail? Completion Timeline ‘derailed’. 2020 not possible.According to DTZ Malaysia consultancy and research head Brian Koh, “The HSR will have a significant impact on population growth in Iskandar,” He also predicted a 44% increase in the Gerbang Nusajaya township once HSR is completed. Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, CEO of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority said HSR would be complemented with a bus rapid transit (BRT) which allows connectivity to all areas and not just to one or two stations. Oh yeah, just a reminder. HSR allows KL – Singapore trip to be completed in 90 minutes with stops in Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor.
I have written earlier that I think one of the two ASIAN rail companies would win this instead of the Europeans one. I still firmly believe in this. Happy waiting to ride it in 2020. I know I would be one.
written on 14 Apr 2015
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