MALAYSIA is open to building a high-speed rail network from Johor to Penang, but only in the future, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, stressing that it was not a priority for the government now.

Instead, the government will focus on improving the services of electric train and extending double-tracking networks.

“The Malaysian government believes we need high-speed rail transport to cut travel time for longer distances; for journeys of between two and six hours, a high-speed train is the answer.

“But for the time being, Malaysia has no need of such a train,” he said, at a briefing on railroad innovation in Cyberjaya today.

“In time to come perhaps we will have a high-speed train, maybe from Johor to Penang island or to the Thai border. The government can look into it.”

Dr Mahathir declined to elaborate on the possible routes of a hypothetical high-speed rail line, when asked later.

“Wait till the time comes. At the moment, we don’t have the need for it. But eventually, yes.”

He reiterated that as such, the high-speed railway (HSR) project from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was suspended for two years.

“We have discussed (the HSR with Singapore), and for now, it won’t be built. No tenders have been issued but we still have to pay Singapore penalties.”

Dr Mahathir last year said RM500 million in penalties would be paid to the republic for postponing the project the Najib Razak administration had signed off on.

The HSR was to have cost RM100 billion and Malaysia had asked to suspend the project over doubts of its economic viability as well as to reduce the country’s debt.

Dr Mahathir and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at a recent leaders’ summit earlier this month, said Malaysia was exploring various options to reduce the project costs and the two countries would discuss these before the end of the suspension period on May 31, 2020. – April 16, 2019.