The deadline for the submission of concept proposals for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR) has been extended from November 15, 2023, to January 15, 2024, according to MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd, the organization tasked with developing the HSR. This extension comes in response to requests from both local and international industry players who have expressed interest in the project in recent weeks.
MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd held the Request for Information (RFI) briefing for the KL-SG HSR project on July 27, attracting more than 700 participants from various backgrounds and representing the full spectrum of the project. The briefing outlined the RFI process, including the timeline for local and international firms and consortia to submit concept proposals for the KL-SG HSR project, which is based on a public-private partnership initiative and follows the design-finance-build-operate-transfer (DFBOT) model.
Participating firms and consortia are expected to demonstrate their technical expertise and overall capacity to develop and operate this major infrastructure system and services within the specified budget, quality, and timeframe. Additionally, they must present viable commercial and business models, along with consortium and governance frameworks.
As of now, MyHSR has already received more than 30 copies of the RFI documents purchased by both local and international firms. MyHSR’s CEO, Datuk Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal, acknowledged the need for companies to have more time to produce high-quality proposals that will help drive economic growth in Malaysia through the KL-SG HSR project.
The RFI process is part of the Malaysian government’s efforts to revive the KL-SG HSR project by exploring new funding mechanisms and implementation models to enhance the country’s rail transport infrastructure and stimulate economic growth. The project’s financing method is still under consideration by the Malaysian government before further discussions with the Singapore government.
Previously, five companies were believed to have been shortlisted for the KL-SG HSR project, including YTL Corp Bhd, MMC Corp Bhd, Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd, WCT Holdings Bhd, and Berjaya Land Bhd.
