ISKANDAR PUTERI, 21 May 2024: The move to set up a High Speed Rail (HSR) hub connecting Kuala Lumpur and Singapore through Forest City, here will make the development area an economic hub of southern Malaysia.

This was acknowledged by a local real estate consulting company, Ho Chin Soon Research (HCS), which has been involved in the planning of cities in Malaysia for the past 36 years, including in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Ishmael Ho said, the impact of the construction of the HSR connecting Kuala Lumpur and Singapore needs to be seen in the long term for this country.

He added, the service is the best option to support the economic growth of Malaysia and Johor especially the Special Financial Zone (SFZ) initiatives in Forest City  and also the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Its also helping the state achieve its goal of becoming a developed state by 2030.

"In that regard, we hope that the government will be able to realise the desire to make this country an economic power in the Southeast Asian region with such public transport facilities," he explained.

Recently, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who wants the matter to be implemented, will have a positive impact not only on the area concerned, but also an economic spillover to the entire region of Iskandar Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the HCS high-speed rail route study not only connects Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to Singapore but also positions the HSR as an important segment of the Pan-Asian Railway, extending north to Kunming in China and south to Jakarta in Indonesia via Java Island.

Forest City has the potential to become a high-speed rail hub, offering closer access to markets along the Pan-Asian Railway, particularly the Indonesian market.

The proposed route is seen as important because it involves a new international market with high demand potential involving millions of people.

It is hoped that the proposal can be seriously considered to enable the development of Malaysia's economy, this will not only enhance economic ties with Singapore but also with Indonesia, helping Malaysia better connect with the vast market of hundreds of millions of people in the future.

HCS Chairman, Ho Chin Soon said that Sultan Ibrahim's proposal also supports the government's initiative in making high-impact economic projects a success, namely the SFZ and JS-SEZ.

He said, the selection of Forest City  as the location of the HSR station or hub will be a catalyst not only in the economic aspect, but also the construction of a complete infrastructure and various sub-sectors of the downstream economy that will bring positive benefits to the local population.

Additionally, he added, considering the previously mentioned LRT line or ART by the Johor state government and the nearby PTP port's maritime advantages, the locational value of Forest City  will be significantly enhanced, making it an important regional transportation center.

“The construction of the rail transport system will also open up more economicopportunities for Johor and Malaysia, this is because it is the best transport system when compared to other transport such as cars or bus services.

"This is because the economic development in Singapore has almost reached maturity and they need a new location to further expand their economy. Iskandar Malaysia, including Forest City , which is located next to the republic, shares the same economic ecosystem allowing for more parallel development between the two, As the Johor Chief Minister has likened it, it is akin to the relationship between Shenzhen and Hong Kong," he said.