Malaysia-S'pore rail

Malaysia-S'pore rail

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian construction giant Renong Bhd. has submitted a multi-billion dollar bid to build a high-speed rail link from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by 2003, reports quoting a senior minister said yesterday.

The 8.3-billion-ringgit (US$3.32 billion) proposal for the line, which will cut four hours from the current six-hour journey time, has been lodged with the economic planning unit, The Sun daily quoted transport Minister Ling Liong Sik as saying.

National railway company KTM Bhd. would be asked to give its views on the proposal, he said.

Apart from the KL-Singapore link, Renong also proposed a second phase link from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth in northern Penang state by 2005, estimated to cost some 9.4 billion ringgit, the daily said.