I am now in favor of cancelling the High Speed Rail (HSR) project.
It is a bad project.
It involves spending a of money to build the infrastructure within Singapore to link to Jurong East. There will also be a lot of disruption during the construction work. We are also allowing travellers to pass through a long stretch of Singapore before they reach the checkpoint.
The alternative is a better approach. We focus on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) linking Singapore to Johor Bahru. There is a common checkpoint clearance at both ends. Travellers need to clear through only one checkpoint.
After reaching the JB end, it is a short walk to the KTM station at Johor Bahru. The current train service is rather slow, but Malaysia can upgrade it to travel at a much higher speed. We can leave it to Malaysia to work on their end.
If the train speed can be increased from the current speed 60 kph to 100 kph, it will take only 3.5 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur. This is acceptable. It is about the same time to travel by air (including the security checks prior to boarding).
If Malaysia decide to implement a High Speed Rail at a future date, it will be their decision. Singaporeans can also join the train at Johor Bahru. They can travel by MRT to connect to the RTS and then move to the KTM station.
It is just as convenient as taking the HSR from Jurong East.
Tan Kin Lian
It is a bad project.
It involves spending a of money to build the infrastructure within Singapore to link to Jurong East. There will also be a lot of disruption during the construction work. We are also allowing travellers to pass through a long stretch of Singapore before they reach the checkpoint.
The alternative is a better approach. We focus on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) linking Singapore to Johor Bahru. There is a common checkpoint clearance at both ends. Travellers need to clear through only one checkpoint.
After reaching the JB end, it is a short walk to the KTM station at Johor Bahru. The current train service is rather slow, but Malaysia can upgrade it to travel at a much higher speed. We can leave it to Malaysia to work on their end.
If the train speed can be increased from the current speed 60 kph to 100 kph, it will take only 3.5 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur. This is acceptable. It is about the same time to travel by air (including the security checks prior to boarding).
If Malaysia decide to implement a High Speed Rail at a future date, it will be their decision. Singaporeans can also join the train at Johor Bahru. They can travel by MRT to connect to the RTS and then move to the KTM station.
It is just as convenient as taking the HSR from Jurong East.
Tan Kin Lian
1 comment:
PM Lee has our local Tourist industry at heart.
First he clusters the holy trinity of the Zoo, Safari Park and the Bird Park into one area in Mandai, thus saving time to ferry tourists all over the island.
He knows foreign tourists could by pass Singapore in future, so what better way than to make tourists visiting Malaysia to use HSR cross Causeway easier thru joint immigration clearance, come to Singapore for Mandai in the day, then gamble in the casinos in the evening, then return to Malaysia by HSR to sleep, or stay in the Jurong Genting Hotel.
There may be a 3rd casino resort on the cards near the Genting hotel for easier access for tourists to gamble. No reason for Genting to build a Hotel here.
But Mahathir sees through the plan, because his countrymen also has easier access to gamble in Singapore too, draining out forex to Singapore.
Thus HSR is vital to PM Lee.
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