KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's decision on Friday (Jan 1) to cancel the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project with Singapore was a painful one, say analysts, but a necessary move to shore up its domestic economy against the more immediate onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 350km link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore costing an estimated RM60 to RM80 billion (S$19.8 billion to S$26.3 billion) would have slashed travel times between the countries, ramped up trade and boosted tourism when completed in 2031. Towns situated at key stops along the line in Malaysia had been expecting to welcome millions of ringgit in development and investment.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you