Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
S'pore, M'sia made very good progress on high-speed rail agreement
Singapore, Malaysia have made very good progress on high-speed rail agreement: PM Lee
PM Lee in an interview with the chairman of Malaysian state news agency Bernama Azman Ujang on Monday (Nov 28).
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore and Malaysia have made very good progress on a bilateral agreement on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High-Speed Rail (HSR), and hopes both sides can sign the agreement when he and Prime Minister Najib Razak meet at the Leaders' Retreat.
"It is a very ambitious, very complicated and a very expansive project, in terms of scale. We have to try our best to anticipate what the likely issues are, when we build it, when we operate it, and have a clear understanding on how we will deal with it if a situation arises," Mr Lee said in an interview with the chairman of Malaysian state news agency Bernama Azman Ujang on Monday(Nov 28).
"The first thing is to have a sound agreement between the two countries on the basis of how the project is structured, how it is going to be executed, and how it is backed by the two governments," said Mr Lee in the interview, the transcript of which was released by the Prime Minister's Office today (Nov 30).
"That is the first requirement, that we have a very good agreement which sets out clearly a sound basis to build and operate the system."
Singapore, KL 'working towards' inking High Speed Rail pact on Dec 5
Both countries have been discussing the agreement for more than a year, Mr Lee noted.
"We are almost there, and I hope that when I meet Prime Minister Najib at the next retreat, we will be able to sign the agreement," he said.
On Tuesday (Nov 29), Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan met Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, and Mr Abdul Rahman said on Instagram they met "to harmonise last minute details of the Bilateral Agreement on Malaysia-Singapore High Speed Rail project before signing ceremony in December".
A memorandum of understanding for the HSR project was signed in July this year by Mr Khaw and Mr Abdul Rahman, and it was witnessed by the two prime ministers.
Construction for the project is expected to begin in 2018, with trains running in 2026.
Secondly, Mr Lee noted that the project's execution will be very important - designing it, calling for tenders, evaluating the proposals.
"Several high-speed rail systems in the world have been lobbying very hard to get this contract - the Japanese, the Koreans, the Chinese high-speed rail," he noted.
"Each has its strengths, and we will have a very difficult decision evaluating the bidders who come along and deciding which one is the best overall."
Asked about the cost-sharing of construction, PM Lee said things like that had to be clearly specified, and it was one of the items that made the project complicated.
"When you have two authorities involved, you have to decide how to partition, where the line is drawn. I build my part, you build your part, and we have to meet at the same point," he said. "If it does not meet then we have a big problem."
PM Lee added: "It is complicated but there is a will. And there is a good will, and we would like to make it succeed."
He was also asked if a third bridge between Singapore and Malaysia - which some in Malaysia had suggested recently - is necessary with the HSR project.
Mr Lee said there are currently no plans for it.
"We are not currently planning for a third bridge," he said. "I have seen some statements in Malaysia suggesting one, but the high-speed rail is a very ambitious project. I would focus all my energies doing that one before we launch a new big project."
~News courtesy of Straits Times~
PM Lee in an interview with the chairman of Malaysian state news agency Bernama Azman Ujang on Monday (Nov 28).
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore and Malaysia have made very good progress on a bilateral agreement on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High-Speed Rail (HSR), and hopes both sides can sign the agreement when he and Prime Minister Najib Razak meet at the Leaders' Retreat.
"It is a very ambitious, very complicated and a very expansive project, in terms of scale. We have to try our best to anticipate what the likely issues are, when we build it, when we operate it, and have a clear understanding on how we will deal with it if a situation arises," Mr Lee said in an interview with the chairman of Malaysian state news agency Bernama Azman Ujang on Monday(Nov 28).
"The first thing is to have a sound agreement between the two countries on the basis of how the project is structured, how it is going to be executed, and how it is backed by the two governments," said Mr Lee in the interview, the transcript of which was released by the Prime Minister's Office today (Nov 30).
"That is the first requirement, that we have a very good agreement which sets out clearly a sound basis to build and operate the system."
Singapore, KL 'working towards' inking High Speed Rail pact on Dec 5
Both countries have been discussing the agreement for more than a year, Mr Lee noted.
"We are almost there, and I hope that when I meet Prime Minister Najib at the next retreat, we will be able to sign the agreement," he said.
On Tuesday (Nov 29), Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan met Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, and Mr Abdul Rahman said on Instagram they met "to harmonise last minute details of the Bilateral Agreement on Malaysia-Singapore High Speed Rail project before signing ceremony in December".
A memorandum of understanding for the HSR project was signed in July this year by Mr Khaw and Mr Abdul Rahman, and it was witnessed by the two prime ministers.
Construction for the project is expected to begin in 2018, with trains running in 2026.
Secondly, Mr Lee noted that the project's execution will be very important - designing it, calling for tenders, evaluating the proposals.
"Several high-speed rail systems in the world have been lobbying very hard to get this contract - the Japanese, the Koreans, the Chinese high-speed rail," he noted.
"Each has its strengths, and we will have a very difficult decision evaluating the bidders who come along and deciding which one is the best overall."
Asked about the cost-sharing of construction, PM Lee said things like that had to be clearly specified, and it was one of the items that made the project complicated.
"When you have two authorities involved, you have to decide how to partition, where the line is drawn. I build my part, you build your part, and we have to meet at the same point," he said. "If it does not meet then we have a big problem."
PM Lee added: "It is complicated but there is a will. And there is a good will, and we would like to make it succeed."
He was also asked if a third bridge between Singapore and Malaysia - which some in Malaysia had suggested recently - is necessary with the HSR project.
Mr Lee said there are currently no plans for it.
"We are not currently planning for a third bridge," he said. "I have seen some statements in Malaysia suggesting one, but the high-speed rail is a very ambitious project. I would focus all my energies doing that one before we launch a new big project."
~News courtesy of Straits Times~
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Tourism a boon and bane
Tourism a boon and bane
Malacca’s emphasis on tourism has raised concerns that the historical city’s heritage is being eroded.
Malaysian Heritage and History Club founder Bert Tan said tourism currently decides the fate of Malacca without much thought to preserving the trades and community in the old quarters of the state.
History author Dennis De Witt said Malacca has been exploited for the tourism industry since it was given the Unesco World Heritage Site status in 2008.
“Tourism seems to have taken a front row while heritage conservation has become secondary,” he said.
The National Heritage Department (JWN) said there were four sites on the National Heritage Register List and 46 on the Heritage List under the National Heritage Act.
“Through this recognition, the heritage sites are protected by laws and regulations,” the department said in an e-mail response to The Star.
It said those found guilty of an offence under Section 112(1) of the National Heritage Act face a jail term of up to five years or a maximum fine of RM50,000, or both.
However, De Witt said there was no proper enforcement by the authorities to preserve the heritage sites.
“Otherwise, how is it that we allow the historical engraved slabs at St Paul’s Church to be treated as props by vendors for their souvenirs?” he said.
Tan said Malacca was the only Unesco site where the authorities allow vendors to operate within the confines of the heritage area.
JWN said it was in the middle of amending certain sections of the Act as well as streamlining and tightening the standard operating procedures for enforcement and prosecution.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple restoration project coordinator Josephine Chua pointed out that the streets of the old town could not accommodate the heavy traffic and large vehicles that pass along them.
“There have been several times where large sightseeing buses almost damaged the roofs of old shophouses along Heeren Street,” she said.
She said the relevant stakeholders should do more to preserve Malacca’s heritage structures instead of developing new tourism products.
De Witt agreed, saying that the funds used for the miniature Dutch Windmill and Malacca Sultanate Water Wheel could have gone towards encouraging heritage activities by traditional traders, event organisers and museums.
Historian and geographer Serge Jardin said people visit Malacca for its old world charm.
“Mass tourism is both a blessing and a curse. A balance is needed,” said the Frenchman who has lived in Malacca for 14 years.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Malacca’s emphasis on tourism has raised concerns that the historical city’s heritage is being eroded.
Malaysian Heritage and History Club founder Bert Tan said tourism currently decides the fate of Malacca without much thought to preserving the trades and community in the old quarters of the state.
History author Dennis De Witt said Malacca has been exploited for the tourism industry since it was given the Unesco World Heritage Site status in 2008.
“Tourism seems to have taken a front row while heritage conservation has become secondary,” he said.
The National Heritage Department (JWN) said there were four sites on the National Heritage Register List and 46 on the Heritage List under the National Heritage Act.
“Through this recognition, the heritage sites are protected by laws and regulations,” the department said in an e-mail response to The Star.
It said those found guilty of an offence under Section 112(1) of the National Heritage Act face a jail term of up to five years or a maximum fine of RM50,000, or both.
However, De Witt said there was no proper enforcement by the authorities to preserve the heritage sites.
“Otherwise, how is it that we allow the historical engraved slabs at St Paul’s Church to be treated as props by vendors for their souvenirs?” he said.
Tan said Malacca was the only Unesco site where the authorities allow vendors to operate within the confines of the heritage area.
JWN said it was in the middle of amending certain sections of the Act as well as streamlining and tightening the standard operating procedures for enforcement and prosecution.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple restoration project coordinator Josephine Chua pointed out that the streets of the old town could not accommodate the heavy traffic and large vehicles that pass along them.
“There have been several times where large sightseeing buses almost damaged the roofs of old shophouses along Heeren Street,” she said.
She said the relevant stakeholders should do more to preserve Malacca’s heritage structures instead of developing new tourism products.
De Witt agreed, saying that the funds used for the miniature Dutch Windmill and Malacca Sultanate Water Wheel could have gone towards encouraging heritage activities by traditional traders, event organisers and museums.
Historian and geographer Serge Jardin said people visit Malacca for its old world charm.
“Mass tourism is both a blessing and a curse. A balance is needed,” said the Frenchman who has lived in Malacca for 14 years.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail projected to start around 2026
KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail projected to start around 2026
The High-Speed Rail (HSR) line linking Singapore and Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur (KL) is expected to start operations around 2026. This was announced at a joint press conference on Tuesday (July 19) after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the neighbouring countries.
The signing ceremony, witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak, comes ahead of a legally binding bilateral agreement that will be inked by the end of this year.
Construction of the HSR is scheduled to take place from 2018 to 2025, followed by testing, commissioning and finally kick-off for the revenue service a year later.
The HSR line will run for 350km, with 335km in Malaysia and 15km in Singapore, and on two tracks going in opposite directions. It will comprise eight stops in total: Singapore, Iskandar Puteri, Batu Pahat, Muar, Ayer Keroh, Seremban, Putrajaya and KL.
Existing train services take up to 11 hours to journey between Singapore and KL. However, with the line able to reach top speeds of 300km/h, travel time between KL and Singapore is expected to drop to around 90 minutes - excluding clearance at customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ). There are, however, plans to co-locate CIQ checkpoints at Singapore, KL and Iskandar Puteri to facilitate “seamless travel”.
This means, for instance, that at the Jurong East terminus, one would be able to clear Singaporean immigration and a few steps later, Malaysian immigration before boarding the train, reaching KL and stepping out into the city centre itself.
Travel time for the HSR between Singapore and Iskandar Puteri in Johor Bahru is expected to take around 10 to 15 minutes.
Both governments agreed that each will take responsibility for developing, constructing and maintaining civil infrastructure and stations within their own countries - MyHSR Corporation for Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority for Singapore.
“COMPETITIVE” FARES
It was also announced that two train operating companies will be appointed to run the HSR service. An international operator will handle the express service between the Singapore terminus at Jurong East and the KL end at the upcoming Bandar Malaysia development. The same operator will also oversee a cross-border shuttle service between Singapore and Iskandar Puteri.
Another operator will run the domestic service within Malaysia. The express service will have scheduling and operational priority over a domestic line servicing the six stops in Malaysia between Singapore and KL.
The HSR trains are expected to be 10 cars long, with the capacity for up to 100 passengers per car.
Fare will be set commercially by the operators and “competitive with airfares”, said Singapore authorities.
A separate private entity will design, build, finance and maintain the trains as well as rail assets, like trackwork, communications, signalling and power. It will also allocate and control track access. Depots and maintenance facilities will be located in Malaysia.
The Singapore and Malaysian governments will build and fund infrastructure work such as viaducts, tunnels and stations within their territories. Both governments also agreed to form a bilateral committee comprising representatives from both sides to manage and regulate aspects of the project which might impact the cross-border services.
TENDER PROCESS WILL BE "FAIR AND TRANSPARENT"
Speaking at the signing of the MoU, PM Lee noted that the tender process is one issue that has to be discussed by Singapore and Malaysia. He said: "This is one of the items which has to be settled and has to be discussed between the two sides, to how the project is going to be structured, to how the tenders will be called, what's the sequence in which they're going to be called, what does each package consist of, and then how will the tenders be evaluated."
Mr Najib said: "Because this project has attracted so much international interest, it is incumbent upon us to make sure that the process will be a very fair, transparent, objective process. But we are both committed to ensuring that this will happen because the image and integrity of both countries will be at stake. So you can be rest assured that the process will be carried out in the fairest possible way."
Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan said: “We are committed to making sure that this project comes to its conclusion. As far as I’m concerned, and as both Prime Ministers mentioned ... it will be an open, transparent and fair tender process.”
He mentioned that he had personally seen several companies that had shown some interest, including companies from China, Japan and European countries.
Mr Abdul Rahman added that the pricing for trips on the HSR would be affected by the bids for the project even though it would likely be benchmarked against airfares. "I believe it will be market-driven."
When asked about the cost-sharing arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, Mr Abdul Rahman pointed out that much of the track will be in Malaysia, with more than 300km in Malaysia and about 15km in Singapore.
“But we’re not looking at the length, we’re looking at the cost. Of course, building 15km underground in Singapore would probably cost as much. So it will be an equitable, fair percentage for both countries,” he said. However, he added that he was not at at liberty to disclose the exact percentages until the bilateral agreement is concluded.
~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~
The High-Speed Rail (HSR) line linking Singapore and Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur (KL) is expected to start operations around 2026. This was announced at a joint press conference on Tuesday (July 19) after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the neighbouring countries.
The signing ceremony, witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak, comes ahead of a legally binding bilateral agreement that will be inked by the end of this year.
Construction of the HSR is scheduled to take place from 2018 to 2025, followed by testing, commissioning and finally kick-off for the revenue service a year later.
The HSR line will run for 350km, with 335km in Malaysia and 15km in Singapore, and on two tracks going in opposite directions. It will comprise eight stops in total: Singapore, Iskandar Puteri, Batu Pahat, Muar, Ayer Keroh, Seremban, Putrajaya and KL.
Existing train services take up to 11 hours to journey between Singapore and KL. However, with the line able to reach top speeds of 300km/h, travel time between KL and Singapore is expected to drop to around 90 minutes - excluding clearance at customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ). There are, however, plans to co-locate CIQ checkpoints at Singapore, KL and Iskandar Puteri to facilitate “seamless travel”.
This means, for instance, that at the Jurong East terminus, one would be able to clear Singaporean immigration and a few steps later, Malaysian immigration before boarding the train, reaching KL and stepping out into the city centre itself.
Travel time for the HSR between Singapore and Iskandar Puteri in Johor Bahru is expected to take around 10 to 15 minutes.
Both governments agreed that each will take responsibility for developing, constructing and maintaining civil infrastructure and stations within their own countries - MyHSR Corporation for Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority for Singapore.
“COMPETITIVE” FARES
It was also announced that two train operating companies will be appointed to run the HSR service. An international operator will handle the express service between the Singapore terminus at Jurong East and the KL end at the upcoming Bandar Malaysia development. The same operator will also oversee a cross-border shuttle service between Singapore and Iskandar Puteri.
Another operator will run the domestic service within Malaysia. The express service will have scheduling and operational priority over a domestic line servicing the six stops in Malaysia between Singapore and KL.
The HSR trains are expected to be 10 cars long, with the capacity for up to 100 passengers per car.
Fare will be set commercially by the operators and “competitive with airfares”, said Singapore authorities.
A separate private entity will design, build, finance and maintain the trains as well as rail assets, like trackwork, communications, signalling and power. It will also allocate and control track access. Depots and maintenance facilities will be located in Malaysia.
The Singapore and Malaysian governments will build and fund infrastructure work such as viaducts, tunnels and stations within their territories. Both governments also agreed to form a bilateral committee comprising representatives from both sides to manage and regulate aspects of the project which might impact the cross-border services.
TENDER PROCESS WILL BE "FAIR AND TRANSPARENT"
Speaking at the signing of the MoU, PM Lee noted that the tender process is one issue that has to be discussed by Singapore and Malaysia. He said: "This is one of the items which has to be settled and has to be discussed between the two sides, to how the project is going to be structured, to how the tenders will be called, what's the sequence in which they're going to be called, what does each package consist of, and then how will the tenders be evaluated."
Mr Najib said: "Because this project has attracted so much international interest, it is incumbent upon us to make sure that the process will be a very fair, transparent, objective process. But we are both committed to ensuring that this will happen because the image and integrity of both countries will be at stake. So you can be rest assured that the process will be carried out in the fairest possible way."
Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan said: “We are committed to making sure that this project comes to its conclusion. As far as I’m concerned, and as both Prime Ministers mentioned ... it will be an open, transparent and fair tender process.”
He mentioned that he had personally seen several companies that had shown some interest, including companies from China, Japan and European countries.
Mr Abdul Rahman added that the pricing for trips on the HSR would be affected by the bids for the project even though it would likely be benchmarked against airfares. "I believe it will be market-driven."
When asked about the cost-sharing arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, Mr Abdul Rahman pointed out that much of the track will be in Malaysia, with more than 300km in Malaysia and about 15km in Singapore.
“But we’re not looking at the length, we’re looking at the cost. Of course, building 15km underground in Singapore would probably cost as much. So it will be an equitable, fair percentage for both countries,” he said. However, he added that he was not at at liberty to disclose the exact percentages until the bilateral agreement is concluded.
~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
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