Singapore to discuss with Malaysia on possible delays to high-speed rail project

Singapore's Transport Ministry, responding to reports that the high-speed rail project between Singapore and Malaysia may be delayed, said that it will discuss with its Malaysian counterparts on the possibility that the project could stretch beyond the initial deadline, reported The Straits Times.

Earlier this week, Malaysia's Land Public Transport Commission chairman Syed Hamid Albar revealed - in an interview with Bloomberg news service - that the project may take six to seven years to complete once construction starts by 2016, hinting the project could face a delay of up to three years beyond the initial proposed deadline of 2020 as announced last year by the leaders of both countries.

Mr. Syed Hamid had said that while Malaysia initially targeted 2020 for the line to be completed, it recognised that there may be problems with the original timeline as there were more elements than just construction that the governments needed to study.