In a significant development for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (KL-Singapore HSR) project, MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR Corp) has received concept proposals from a total of 31 firms, representing seven local and international consortia. This influx of proposals arrived by the set deadline on Monday, following a Request for Information (RFI) exercise initiated in July 2023.
This RFI was launched to invite parties interested in delivering the project under a public-private partnership model, specifically the Design-Finance-Build-Operate-Transfer (DFBOT) model. MyHSR Corp disclosed these details in a statement released yesterday, following the distribution of 37 RFI documents as part of the July 2023 exercise.
MyHSR Corp chairman Datuk Seri Haji Fauzi Abdul Rahman stated,
“The findings from the RFI evaluation will be presented to the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet for deliberation. If the response is favorable, we will proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage, where we will seek detailed proposals from the selected consortia.”
Earlier, Fauzi was cited in a Berita Harian report stating that MyHSR Corp had garnered interest from 37 globally renowned transport-related firms, including major players from China and Europe. He highlighted that the submitted RFIs showcased not only a commitment to implementing the HSR project in Malaysia but also the inclusion of innovative concepts and the latest technology, alongside a comprehensive outline of the overall project cost.
Contrary to some reports, Fauzi clarified that Japanese firms had not participated in the RFI process, despite their presence at the preliminary briefing held in July 2023. He noted that at the briefing, it was explicitly stated that the project would be entirely financed by the private sector. This clarification came in the wake of a Kyodo News report suggesting that Japanese companies had withdrawn from the project due to increasing risks without financial support from the Malaysian government.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook reaffirmed that the HSR project remains on track despite the alleged withdrawal of Japanese firms.
The KL-Singapore HSR project, which experienced a near three-year hiatus since March 2021 following its mutual cancellation by Malaysia and Singapore, has been revived. Malaysia compensated Singapore S$102.8 million (RM320.27 million) for costs incurred due to the project’s termination.
With the project’s revival last year, several major rail business players are understood to be in discussions with potential partners for participation. These include MMC Corp Bhd controlled by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, WCT Holdings Bhd, YTL Group, Berjaya Group led by Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, and Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB), as reported by The Edge in March 2023.
