Mahathir is currently in Japan, where he is attending the Nikkei Conference in Tokyo.

In a recent interview with Nikkei Asian Review published on June 11, he commented that the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project is actually "postponed."

This comment came after Mahathir previously confirmed that the project would be scrapped.

Previously said it was dropped

The fate of the HSR project was made uncertain when Mahathir made good on his promise to review the HSR and other expensive projects so as to improve national debt.

According to a report by Reuters, the Malaysian Prime Minister estimated that axing big projects like these could help Malaysia cut almost a "fifth of its $250 billion national debt and liabilities."

In May 2018, Mahathir confirmed that the HSR project would be dropped as it was too expensive.

However, according to The Star, Singapore’s Ministry of Transport said that it has not yet received an official notification that the project had been cancelled.

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"Postponed" due to cost

Speaking to Japanese media in Tokyo, Mahathir said that the project was in fact, "postponed," because Malaysia "cannot afford it at the moment."

He explained that high-speed trains "do not contribute much" for short distances, hence, Malaysia will have to carefully think this decision through.

However, Mahathir also admitted that they cannot say that they "will never have high-speed rail in Malaysia."

There will be a need for it in the future, he says, but it is "far too costly" for now:

"We cannot say we will never have high-speed rail in Malaysia. What we can do is we can postpone the project because it is far too costly at this moment."

Top photo an artist impression of the Jurong Terminus of the HSR by Farrell & Shutterstock.