Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR station concept designs, Najib said MyHSR, the Malaysian delivery partner for the bilateral project, has submitted applications for land freezing, so that the viability of the pre-selected corridor can be studied, the Straits Times reported.
“These selected areas are further refined to reflect public feedback on the alignment,” he was quoted as saying by the Singapore daily.
He added that a three-month public consultation for Malaysians to give feedback or raise concerns will be launched next month.
MyHSR’s commercial director Tonny Yeap told reporters later that the actual land acquisition could start by the middle of next year.
At the event today, the station designs on display showed that it was inspired by local elements such as Islamic architecture, Melaka as a historial trade hub and the Kuda Kepang traditional dance.
Najib and his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the HSR project in July.
The 350-km HSR project will have eight stations, namely Bandar Malaysia (in KL), Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat, Iskandar Puteri and Jurong East (Singapore).
The HSR will cut travel time between the two cities to 90 minutes, with the project targeted to be completed by 2026.
Meanwhile, MyHSR chief executive Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal said the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is looking at a proposal from developers of the Forest City in Johor to have a station within the mega property project.
“SPAD will come up with a decision with the government. As of now, we have seven stations in Malaysia and one in Singapore. I can’t speak for the future but our current plan is to focus on these stations,” he was quoted as saying by ST.
Following two briefings by MyHSR and its Singapore counterpart in Singapore and London, Nur Ismal said there will likely be multiple bids when the call for tender is launched at the end of the year.
“We are made to understand that activities leading up to the tender is very exciting and that various parties are teaming up to bid.”