Nikkei Asian Review added that both the Japanese public and private sectors were collaborating to pitch for the HSR project estimated to cost RM60bil.
Japan – famous for its Shinkansen trains – and China are among the keen contenders for the HSR, with its main terminal in Kuala Lumpur located in Bandar Malaysia.
Japan takes pride in its system’s reliability and quality, and cost-effective technology while China is banking on its experience of operating the world’s largest high-speed rail network.
Other parties that have expressed interest in the HSR project included France and South Korea.
On Wednesday, the Finance Ministry announced that it had called off the deal to sell a 60% equity stake in Bandar Malaysia to a consortium comprising China Railway Engineering Corp (M) Sdn Bhd and local partner Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The RM7.41bil deal was inked in December 2015. When contacted, the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur declined to comment. It just said that it was still trying to “understand the situation further.”
