The proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project will contribute about RM100 billion (US$23.4 billion) to Malaysia’s GDP, a government official says.
Minister Razali Ibrahim forecasts RM70 will be generated from construction and operation of the line, while another RM30 billion in direct revenue will come from the service and tourism sectors.
"Malaysia and Singapore had reiterated their commitment for the project including the terms and new date of completion," the minister said.
The high speed rail project aims to reduce travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes and has been described as a ‘game-changing iconic project’ which will give cross causeway business and tourism a major boost.
However an original 2020 completion date was ‘no longer really realistic’ due to the complexity of the 330 km-long project, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently said.
A tentative completion date of 2022 has been set.
