KUALA LUMPUR: More than five consortiums comprising domestic and foreign engineering, technology, piling, and infrastructure construction firms are expected to present their concept proposals for the development of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (KL-SG HSR).
The deadline for the consortiums to submit their concept proposals for the KL-Singapore HSR line's Request For Information (RFI) is January 15, 2024.
The two Malaysian conglomerates that are expected to submit their concept proposals include YTL Group and Berjaya Group.
Industry insiders said the other participants in the KL-SG HSR project are most likely Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd and Econpile Holdings Bhd, as the track may require more piling work, which is necessary to maintain a smooth gradient for the railway tracks.
"We would also not discount Gamuda Bhd, given its unparalleled track record in major railway transportation works," they said.
MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd, the project manager, launched the RFI in July 2023 as the Malaysian government explores reactivating the project to construct a 350-km dedicated high-speed line between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, which was cancelled in 2021, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
More than 700 representatives from local and international companies, as well as foreign missions, attended a briefing on the project and the RFI process on July 27.
Apart from Malaysian companies, the RFI briefing was also attended by representatives of industry players from the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore.
MyHSR is seeking proposals for the development and operation of the proposed railway in response to encouraging feedback from a preliminary round of input gathering launched in March 2023.
Participating firms and consortia must exhibit their technical expertise as well as their overall ability in order to develop and operate the railway and services with the necessary resources and within the budgeted cost, quality, and time.
In addition, they must exhibit workable business and commercial models as well as appropriate frameworks for consortium and project governance.
MyHSR said in November it was encouraged by the industry's positive response with over 30 copies of the RFI documents purchased by local and international firms.
Economists assert that the HSR has the potential to enhance intercity connectivity and mobility by promoting socio-economic development.
This can be achieved through reducing travel times, ensuring safe and smooth travel, and improving accessibility to the country's secondary and tertiary cities, they said.
According to them, the KL-SG HSR will also significantly contribute to improving the nation's economic standing, which is consistent with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's goal of making Malaysia a leader in Southeast Asia, as outlined in the Ekonomi MADANI framework.
"This is because large infrastructure investments are positively correlated with the economic multipliers that result from increased connectivity and travel efficiencies," they said.
Clusters of high-value talent, including researchers, designers, manufacturers, traders, distributors, and consumers of high-value goods and services, who live and work minutes apart along the HSR economic corridor, have the potential to have a massive economic impact.
"By leveraging on the power of agglomeration between the vibrant cities of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, the cumulative impact of the two connected metropolises could potentially generate more than US$750 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing power Parity (PPP), placing the cities at 13th position in the global PPP GDP ranking and providing access to a larger market demand, investments, and talent pool," they said.