Singapore introduces bill to support Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR

SINGAPORE (Oct 5): A proposed law to support the building and running of two future rail links between Singapore and Malaysia, including the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR), was brought to Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday, according to The Straits Times.

The draft law, entitled “Cross-Border Railways Bill”, will provide for the licensing of operators to run train services and maintain railway assets, the appointment of independent safety auditors, funding for the projects’ construction and more.

It will also empower the Singapore government to suspend cross-border train services if there are imminent risks to commuter safety, such as a malfunction or terrorist act.

A Singapore transport ministry spokesman told the publication the draft law will support the “construction, operation and regulation” of the HSR, in accordance with a bilateral agreement signed last December. The 350km HSR, which will reduce travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes, is targeted to be operational by end-2026.

The bill will also support the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link after Singapore and Malaysia ink a bilateral agreement at end-2017, the spokesman was quoted as saying. The RTS, linking Woodlands North station on Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast mass rapid transit line with Johor’s Bukit Chagar terminus, is expected to be ready by end-2024.

Last month, rail operators SMRT and Prasarana Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint-venture company for the cross-border RTS link. This operating company will build, finance and run operating assets such as trains, tracks and systems.

Meanwhile, Singapore and Malaysia will be calling a joint tender later in the year to appoint an asset company for the HSR project. The appointed company will be responsible for designing, building, financing and maintaining all rolling stock. It will also build, operate and maintain rail assets, including track-work, power and signalling systems.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Oct 5, 2017.

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