The Business Times reported that the terminal stations for the planned high-speed rail linking Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have been confirmed, but the leaders of the two countries noted that the ambitious 350km project will not meet its original 2020 deadline.

Basing the station at the Jurong Lake District dovetails with Singapore's overall plans to transform the area into the country's second central business district, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a joint press conference at the Shangri-La Hotel. "The terminal will change the face of Jurong and create opportunities for our citizens and businesses, draw the people of Singapore and Malaysia closer together, and connect our businesses with opportunities," added Mr. Lee.

Once the project is operational, it will be able to shuttle passengers from Singapore to the Malaysian capital in just 90 minutes, compared to a four to five-hour journey if one was to drive.

Officials on both sides will soon meet to discuss how best to structure the multi-billion-dollar project. The two premiers, who reaffirmed that both countries are 'fully committed' to the project's success, hope that an agreement can be worked out by the end of this year, including a consensus on the timeline.

Mr. Najib pointed out that the actual construction would take five years, in addition to a year to carry out the tender process and another year to design the high-speed rail link.

This could mean that the first trains could be up and running only by 2023 at the earliest, assuming Singapore and Malaysia can reach an agreement later this year. "This is a very complex project. There are many dimensions to it. We have to study it very carefully, but expeditiously at the same time," said Mr. Najib.