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KUALA LUMPUR : Countries involved in the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link have completed the feasibility studies on the missing links of the rail track, but there is still much work to be done.
That is according to Malaysian Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, who chaired the 10th special working group meeting on the mega project on Wednesday.
The Singapore-Kunming Rail Link project was proposed at the fifth ASEAN summit in 1995 at a cost of US$16 billion.
Planners of the Singapore-Kunming railway line project had originally intended to complete it by 2015. But the Malaysian Transport Minister said that the deadline is now off. The key is to complete the missing links in the project.
While some links have already been completed in some ASEAN countries, about 550 kilometres of links are believed to be still missing.
According to the work schedule distributed at the meeting on Wednesday, Myanmar needs nearly US$246 million to construct its part of the rail link, while some links in Malaysia would only be completed in 2013.
Mr Ong said: "We are not in any hurry to stipulate unilaterally the time frame, because we need others to commit as well when they are ready. Also each and every stretch has its own set of challenges, and it would not be fair for us to dictate whatever schedule we have in mind to others."
He added that the present global financial crisis is also slowing down the project.
But when the 5,000-kilometre rail line project is completed, project planners are confident it will increase the living standards of people throughout the region and strengthen transport links within ASEAN. - CNA/ms
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