Singapore PM says 2020 timeline for Malaysia rail link unrealistic

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Tuesday a 2020 timeline to complete a high-speed railway between the Asian financial hub and the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur was unrealistic.

Singapore and neighbouring Malaysia in 2013 announced plans for the project to be up and running by 2020.

But Lee said both countries need more time to iron out details.

"We looked at the timeline, and the original timeline of 2020 I think is not really a realistic one," he said at a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"We have to take a bit more time to do it well," Lee said, adding that an updated timeline will likely be released later in the year.

Neither country has given a cost estimate for the 350-kilometre (217-mile) line, which is expected to cut travel time to 90 minutes.

That compares with four hours by car, including immigration clearances, and five hours by bus.

The existing railway between the two countries, which dates back to British colonial rule, takes about six hours.