Singapore, Malaysia to build high-speed rail link by 2020.
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Singapore and Malaysia announced plans Tuesday to build a high-speed rail link, fuelling hopes that Southeast Asia could one day enjoy a rapid European-style train system connected to China.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak hailed the project, which would cut travel time between the city-state and Kuala Lumpur to 90 minutes. The target year for completion is 2020.
"This is a strategic development in bilateral relations that will dramatically improve the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore," the leaders said in a joint statement issued after meeting in Singapore.
"It will facilitate seamless travel between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, enhance business linkages and bring the peoples of Malaysia and Singapore closer together."
The existing rail link between the two countries dates back to the period of British colonial rule over both, with stops at several Malaysian towns. The current Singapore-Kuala Lumpur service takes more than seven hours.
No cost estimate was given for the construction of the new rail link.
"(We) have some very preliminary figures but I am not inclined to mention those figures because it will tend to stick in people's minds," Najib said at a joint news conference with Lee.
Lee quipped that Singaporeans would be able to have lunch with friends in Kuala Lumpur, which is about 350 kilometers (220 miles) away, and get back within the day.
"It's a strategic project for the two countries. It will change the way we see each other," said Lee, likening it to the heavily used London-Paris connection.
The 90-minute travel time for the new train compares with four hours by car, including clearing immigration, and five hours by bus.
And while a flight takes less than an hour that does not take into account the time taken to check in, pass immigration and pick up luggage.
Both countries belong to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which hopes to one day link most member states by rail and extend the connection to China and possibly India.
ASEAN is contemplating a link that will run from Singapore to Kunming in southwestern China, thereby tapping into the country's vast high-speed network -- the world's longest at more than 9,300 kilometres and rapidly expanding.
To link up with China, ASEAN estimates that there are 4,069 kilometres of missing links that need to be built, or existing railways that need to be upgraded, in several countries.
"Beyond ASEAN, once these links are built, it will connect both the mainland ASEAN and ASEAN with its trading partners China and India," a fact sheet on the trading bloc's website said.
A Singapore-Malaysia high-speed railway was first mooted in the 1990s by Francis Yeoh, head of Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate YTL, which built an express train service from Kuala Lumpur's main airport to the city centre.
The idea was repeatedly shelved largely due to cost concerns. Malaysian media reports said in 2009 that the project's cost was estimated at $2.5 billion-$3.5 billion.
Hopes for the project were revived in 2010 after Najib became prime minister.
Chin Hoong Choor, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore specialising in transport, told AFP that there was "definite political will" to create a Singapore-Kunming rail link.
The new Singapore-Kuala Lumpur service will be one of the important links in the network "and possibly among the first to be constructed due to demand and availability of funds," he said.
2020 better not bankrupt first. lo
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buy stocks in companies that make zip ties!
buy as much as you can!!
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so now Malaysia property prices also go as high as Singapore...
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Most travellers welcome new high-speed rail link to Kuala Lumpur
SINGAPORE: Most travellers have welcomed the new high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
They say it offers an additional option while making travel plans within the region - be it for business or leisure.
Anos Enrado, a tourist, said: "This is nice because it makes Asian countries more connected and it's much faster travelling to other countries."
Alan Liew said: "Depending on the operation timing, they can leave on the morning train and then come back on the last train back to Singapore. So it saves one night hotel accommodation."
Industry players, however, say fares on the 90-minute high-speed rail link will determine the impact on coaches and airlines.
The Express Bus Agencies Association says the development may have a "tremendous impact", but coach operators will still have some edge.
Sebastian Yap, Terminal Services Sub-Committee, Express Bus Agencies Association, said: "To me the high-speed train cannot be cheaper than bus, there's no way about it. So in terms of the pricing, I think we still have a bit of a competitive edge."
Still, coach operators may have to re-strategise to include complimenting the rail service, by offering services to smaller towns from the stations along the rail line.
Travellers say they do not mind paying more for speed and predictability which comes with the rail link.
"It is more secure and more safety. And the timing will be more fixed."
"I'm expecting about S$80 to S$90 per trip - per one way trip."
"I will take the train because (for) flying you need to check in and check out. I think the time will take a much longer time than the train."
Observers say airlines offering flights between the two cities will also see more competition - more so for full service carriers than budget airlines.
Siva Govindasamy, Managing Editor of Flightglobal Asia, said: "If this high-speed rail system offers a premium proposition for these business people who need to get from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore comfortably and very fast, then I think its the full service carriers who could have a bigger impact, because the leisure passengers are still price sensitive.
"The budget airlines cater to these leisure passengers, so they might not have an impact. We do not know what the aviation industry is going to look like in seven years from now. Budget carriers may refine their models, it may be cheaper for them to offer certain flights. New technologies may come into play, airports may get more efficient."
- CNA/de -
High-speed rail link may help ease labour crunch in S'pore
SINGAPORE : The high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur could help ease the expected labour crunch in Singapore.
Companies have welcomed the infrastructure project that could potentially reduce travelling time between the two cities to only 90 minutes.
The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) believes the project can help attract more workers from Malaysia to work in Singapore.
Companies see the advantages of hiring workers from Malaysia, which is considered a "traditional" source of foreign workers.
The advantages include not having to post a S$5,000 security bond to employ them in Singapore. There are also minimal cultural and language problems.
Companies said Malaysians living beyond Johor may want to work in Singapore if commuting is enhanced.
Chan Chong Beng, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said: "We should be able to attract a lot of these PMEs (professionals, managers and executives) from Malaysia to come to Singapore to work, and also the workers who want to tap on the higher salaries in Singapore.
"If they can cut off the cost of accommodation in Singapore, it will be very attractive for them to come to Singapore to work, because they can either go back daily or they can go back weekly and continue to be with their families."
ASME also believes the rail project could spur more Singapore companies to venture further into Malaysia.
However, industry players said there are challenges which authorities need to address.
Mark Hall, vice-president of Kelly Services, said: "Can we ease the border crossing between Malaysia and Singapore? I read the argument in Europe. In Europe, there is the high-speed rail link that connects London and Paris, London and Germany, London and Spain.
"The difference there is that the border crossing there is easier. Passports in UK...there is no problem crossing over. Singapore and Malaysia in the next seven years have to figure out what they can do with the border control passing."
The high-speed train between Singapore and Malaysia will change how Singaporeans commute to Kuala Lumpur. However, whether or not it will entice more Singaporeans to find a job in Kuala Lumpur will depend on several factors.
One Singaporean said: "(The) price of the train fare...must be good value because it is a day-to-day basis travelling to and from work, so it must be a good price."
Another noted: "If Kuala Lumpur can bring more (and) better opportunities, let's say higher salaries, of course who (wouldn't) want to do that; as long as there is money available, maybe people will try..."
In addition, workers have pointed out that for daily commuting to happen, the rail system needs to be reliable.
- CNA/ms -
Singapore-KL rail link goes beyond just economics, says K Shanmugam
SINGAPORE: Foreign Minister K Shanmugam has said the high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur goes beyond just economics.
He said bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia has been on an upswing in recent years.
Mr Shanmugam was speaking to Channel NewsAsia in a "live" studio interview on Friday evening.
He said the two countries have announced a number of joint projects since 2010.
Studies for the high-speed rail link have to be completed before the project can start.
But Mr Shanmugam says there's "no reason why it shouldn't work".
As most of the rail will be on the Malaysian side, he said there is a logic to how cost could be split - depending on where it is.
- CNA/de -
Imagine stuck half way between KL and Sg.
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that is provided you can board the train