Might we be actually be reviving the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail?
Well, it seems like things are moving in that direction.
The Malaysian government has initiated a request for information exercise, inviting private companies to submit proposals on the feasibility of the high speed rail based on a private-public partnership model, said Malaysian Minister of Transport Anthony Loke.
The exercise is open to local and international companies.
The minister also said that a few companies have already approached the minister to show their interest.
The Star reported that the project is now only at the "feasibility stage" and there is no concrete plan to award the project to any company at this point in time.
Loke said previously that the Malaysian government is open to reviving the project as long as it doesn't incur the use of public funds.
Separately, chairman of the Malaysian government-owned MyHSR Corp Fauzi Abdul Rahman said that the project has to be revived in order to improve Malaysia's productivity and income levels.
Fauzi also said that the Malaysian government does not want to touch government funds because it has to manage its RM1.5 trillion (S$431 billion) national debt.
Across the Causeway, Singapore's Ministry of Transport's last official statement on the matter stated that it was open to discussing new proposals with Malaysia "in good faith, starting from a clean slate".
The KL-SG High Speed Rail project was cancelled in January 2021 after Singapore and Malaysia failed to agree on proposed changes to the project.
Malaysia had to pay Singapore more than S$102.8 million in compensation for costs incurred for the development of the project.
Top image is an artist impression of the Kuala Lumpur Bandar Malaysia HSR Terminus.