(AP photo)KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Singapore on Wednesday agreed to defer the construction of a planned high-speed rail link between the two countries to 2020, ending months of uncertainty surrounding a project that analysts expect to cost around US$17 billion (558 billion baht). In a joint statement, Malaysia and Singapore said they have agreed to suspend the construction of the high-speed rail link for a period up to May 31, 2020, and will look for ways to reduce costs. "By end of May 2020, we hope to see the resumption of the high-speed rail construction," Singapore Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said. In July, Singapore said it would seek to recover over S$250 million in costs incurred to date should Malaysia cancel the project. The rail link, which will connect Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, is scheduled to commence services by January 2031 if construction starts by May 2020.

Source: Bangkok Post September 05, 2018 09:45 UTC