Last month we were given the impression that Azmin Ali met Singapore officials over talks about Malaysia's wish to postpone the HSR. But the Star reported:
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — Datuk Seri Azmin Ali corroborated today a news report saying Malaysia would not incur a RM500 million penalty for delaying the High Speed Rail with Singapore.
The economic affairs minister told reporters this was agreed during a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart last week.
“After a series of discussions, Singapore has agreed to accept the Malaysian government’s view to postpone the project to a future date, because by then, we are certain the country’s economy would have healed.
"No compensation needs to be paid during this period, and any such payment is only required if at the end of the deferral period, we cancel the project,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali on Monday (Sept 3) said an agreement has been reached with Singapore to postpone the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project to a future date without any compensation, and that the project would resume once the deferral ends.
A Singapore Ministry of Transport spokesman, responding to the remarks, said: "Malaysia and Singapore are currently in discussions on Malaysia's request to defer the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Project. We hope to reach a mutually acceptable outcome soon".
Datuk Seri Azmin had told reporters earlier that the consensus with his Singapore counterpart was reached last week after a series of meetings, and that an official agreement would be signed in the near future in Kuala Lumpur.
He said that during this period, both governments would hold more talks on ways to reduce the cost of the multi-billion-ringgit project.
"After several discussions, the Singapore government has agreed to accept the views of the Malaysian government to defer the project for a period where we are confident that the Malaysian economy would improve by then,” Mr Azmin told reporters on the sidelines of the Selangor state assembly’s opening session.
“There’ll be no compensation to be paid during this deferment period and it has to be paid only if we cancel this project at the end of the deferment period,” he added.
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Rafizi watch out |
KUALA LUMPUR: Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has clarified that he did not meet officials from Singapore’s transport ministry (MOT) over the weekend.
“They (Singapore media) are right.
“When I spoke to you yesterday, did I say I was meeting with MOT officials?” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
He said he did have a meeting in Singapore over the weekend and when asked whom it was with, he said: “A Singaporean.”
Singapore news outlet Today Online quoted a spokesman from its transport ministry as saying that no meeting took place, or was scheduled, between Azmin and the officials overseeing the HSR project.
On Monday, Azmin was reported to have said that he had an informal meeting with some senior officials in Singapore over the project last weekend, while visiting Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who was undergoing treatment there.
“They (Singapore media) are right.
“When I spoke to you yesterday, did I say I was meeting with MOT officials?” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
He said he did have a meeting in Singapore over the weekend and when asked whom it was with, he said: “A Singaporean.”
Singapore news outlet Today Online quoted a spokesman from its transport ministry as saying that no meeting took place, or was scheduled, between Azmin and the officials overseeing the HSR project.
On Monday, Azmin was reported to have said that he had an informal meeting with some senior officials in Singapore over the project last weekend, while visiting Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who was undergoing treatment there.
It seems Azmin didn't do anything to correct the incorrect impression his loose words provided UNTIL the official Singapore riposte came.
Yesterday the MM Online reported:
The economic affairs minister told reporters this was agreed during a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart last week.
“After a series of discussions, Singapore has agreed to accept the Malaysian government’s view to postpone the project to a future date, because by then, we are certain the country’s economy would have healed.
"No compensation needs to be paid during this period, and any such payment is only required if at the end of the deferral period, we cancel the project,” he said.
Now the Strait Times (of Singapore, not Malaysia's NST) reported:
A Singapore Ministry of Transport spokesman, responding to the remarks, said: "Malaysia and Singapore are currently in discussions on Malaysia's request to defer the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Project. We hope to reach a mutually acceptable outcome soon".
Datuk Seri Azmin had told reporters earlier that the consensus with his Singapore counterpart was reached last week after a series of meetings, and that an official agreement would be signed in the near future in Kuala Lumpur.
He said that during this period, both governments would hold more talks on ways to reduce the cost of the multi-billion-ringgit project.
"After several discussions, the Singapore government has agreed to accept the views of the Malaysian government to defer the project for a period where we are confident that the Malaysian economy would improve by then,” Mr Azmin told reporters on the sidelines of the Selangor state assembly’s opening session.
“There’ll be no compensation to be paid during this deferment period and it has to be paid only if we cancel this project at the end of the deferment period,” he added.
What is Azmin up to, when the Singaporeans has just come out to say:
"Malaysia and Singapore are currently in discussions on Malaysia's request to defer the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Project. We hope to reach a mutually acceptable outcome soon".