KUALA LUMPUR: The chairman of MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd, Datuk Seri Fauzi Abdul Rahman, said that there may be a possibility that the bullet train will be extended to Malaysia's northern sector, with a final stop at Padang Besar in Perlis, but the immediate priority is on the KL-Singapore HSR to be developed.
"Thailand intends to construct a high-speed rail system that will connect Bangkok and Padang Besar. The three airport lines and the northeast are being constructed.
They will begin the southern line after they have finished that.
"We would simply synchronise with that if we were to construct a line connecting Kuala Lumpur and Padang Besar," he said.
"However, we must ensure that our southern line, which runs from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, is fully utilised before we can proceed. We want to ensure that the construction is completed to a high standard and that the ridership figures match projections that are developed in the proposal by the private sector.
"Our goal is for the southern corridor to grow into a major economic hub, given the positive correlation and interdependence between investments in large infrastructure projects such as the HSR and economic multipliers. Early planning and integration of the economic corridor alongside the HSR delivery is critical to amplifying the benefits and growth potential of the project.
"We simply cannot rest on our laurels and must not be left behind, as our regional peers such as Thailand and Indonesia, which are prioritising mega transport infrastructure projects, are closing the gap to Malaysia," he said.
On the RFI process for the KL-Singapore HSR line, Fauzi said that the deadline will not be extended after Jan 15, 2024.
"Due to requests from the majority of possible bidders, we decided to extend the RFI until January 15. They needed more time to form consortiums and explore financial options. There won't be another extension after January 15.
"We will submit the findings to the Malaysian government following the RFI evaluation. Whether the concepts are compelling enough to move forward with the project will be determined by the government.
"Each consortium will need to conduct an extensive feasibility study on their own as they must raise the funds. The government and other stakeholders have to be convinced that the financials make sense," said Fauzi.