PETALING JAYA: The current minimum wage in Malaysia does not align with the rising cost of food and is not a living wage that prevents the lower incom.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed previously said that the government would embark on a new study to assess the viability of various options for a HSR. The study will be facilitated by MyHSR, which will be looking at projected ridership, funding options and economic benefits derived from the project.
PETALING JAYA: Economists are of the view that a high-speed rail (HSR) is still viable for Malaysia if the country decides to go alone in implementing the project.
This could potentially be an immediate impetus towards growth coming out of an economic crisis.
Prof Tan Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, who is executive director of the Economic Action Council, said there is still room for Malaysia to make a decision on the project.
Dr Joewono Prasetijo, the head of the Industry Centre of Excellence for Railway (ICoE-Rel) at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, said it was clear that the termination was obliged due to the proposed changes, done in reference to the current economic situation.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has proposed alternatives to lower the cost of the high speed rail (HSR) project from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore when the Covid-19 pandemic showed no signs of slowing down last June.
As negotiations between Malaysia and Singapore fell through, the bilateral agreement lapsed on Dec 31,2020, leading to the termination of the mega project.
Experts believed the latest development would enable the government to go back to the drawing board while avoiding a huge expenditure amid the unprecedented economic uncertainties.