Entries tagged "Malaysia"

  • Mahathir warns Philippines about China loans | March 7, 2019, 9:02 a.m.

    While on a state visit to the Philippines, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad told journalists that if countries borrow money from China they cannot pay back, the country "may be under the control of the lender." The statement was read as a warning to Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, who accepted a $9 billion credit line from China in 2016, reports Nikkei.

  • Calibrating a U.S. Infrastructure Strategy for the Indo-Pacific | March 5, 2019, 9:51 a.m.

    Given the economic and strategic importance of connectivity, many governments and regional organizations have launched infrastructure programs in the Indo-Pacific in the last few years. The U.S.’s new infrastructure strategies must not only respond to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, but also consider the complex landscape of overlapping initiatives already on offer in the Indo-Pacific.

  • China’s Digital Silk Road and Southeast Asia | Feb. 19, 2019, 10:44 a.m.

    In the coming years, as governments fine-tune their cyber governance models and lay out plans for 5G networks, the United States and its allies should accelerate efforts to work with Southeast Asian partners on issues related to digital infrastructure and governance if they hope to compete with China's Digital Silk Road.

  • China’s BRI Faces Domestic Concerns | Feb. 15, 2019, 9:12 a.m.

    Increasing criticism towards China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) coupled with China's economic squeeze has prompted Chinese skeptics of BRI to quietly ask if their government is putting its scarce resources to the right use. Although President Xi Jinping's BRI is still supported by leaders in Beijing, Xi's original ambitions are being rolled back out of public view, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Malaysia Probes Chinese Projects | Feb. 7, 2019, 9:09 a.m.

    The trial of Najib Razak, Malaysia's former prime minister, over corruption-related charges tied to the 1MDB development fund is scheduled to begin on February 12. The prosecution is expected to probe whether China-backed infrastructure projects signed by Najib's government were used to bail out 1MDB, reports Nikkei.

  • Malaysia 1MDB Corruption Case Ongoing | Jan. 30, 2019, 12:02 p.m.

    New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Hohamad has canceled billions of dollars in infrastructure projects financed by Malaysian state fund 1MDB after an investigation revealed that funds were allegedly siphoned into the bank account of former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

  • Malaysia to Cancel $20B China-Backed Rail | Jan. 28, 2019, 9:02 a.m.

    Malaysia will cancel its $20B East Coast Rail Link project with contractor China Communications Construction Co Ltd due to the high cost, but stated that they will continue to welcome investment from China on a case by case basis.

  • Corruption Flows Along China’s Belt and Road | Jan. 18, 2019, 9:01 a.m.

    Until Chinese officials improve transparency standards, the international community should provide better alternatives to Chinese infrastructure loans and publicize the perils of opaque approaches to building infrastructure. Leaders in recipient countries must also demand greater transparency -- or risk drowning in the murky waters of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

  • China To Build 3,000 km Pan-Asian Railway Network | Jan. 9, 2019, 8:56 a.m.

    Beijing is currently working on construction of a high-speed rail line in northern Thailand. Under its planned 3,000-km pan-Asian railway network, Chinese rail lines will extend even further south, stretching through Malaysia and feeding into Singapore, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Malaysia To Review 1MDB Infrastrcture Deals | Jan. 8, 2019, 9:20 a.m.

    Malaysia will review claims that China signed over-valued infrastructure projects to bail out Malaysia's state investment fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad, under former Prime Minister Najib Razak's tenure.

  • 19 Projects to Watch in 2019 | Dec. 21, 2018, 11:20 a.m.

    Reconnecting Asia tracks infrastructure developments across Eurasia, a vast landmass that includes 60 percent of the global economy. Every day, new infrastructure projects are announced, some are advanced, and others encounter obstacles. Here is a selection of projects and trends we will be watching in 2019.

  • How the U.S. Is Countering China's Global Push | Nov. 15, 2018, 11:33 a.m.

    Five years into China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative, the United States is trying to respond to Xi Jinping’s infrastructure-building spree. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Reconnecting Asia Director Jonathan Hillman discusses the craving for more alternatives to Chinese offers and the window of opportunity it creates for the United States.

  • Japan To Aid Malaysian Rail | Nov. 6, 2018, 9:43 a.m.

    Japan will send experts from Kyushu Railway Co. and Japan Freight Railway Co. to Malaysia later in the month to study ways to improve the country's railway transportation system.

  • Malaysia's MRT2 To Resume | Oct. 26, 2018, 9:30 a.m.

    Malaysia has allowed Gamuda and MMC Corp. to resume underground works of the Mass Rail Transit 2 project after their joint venture agreed to a deeper cost cut, underscoring the government's resolve to push ahead with initiatives which only make economic sense.

  • New Asian Leaders Question BRI | Oct. 1, 2018, 8:33 a.m.

    Newly elected Asian leaders from the Maldives, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka question the "business sense" of some Chinese-funded infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, casting doubt on Beijing's strategy for building regional influence.

  • Special Report: China's Belt and Road Initiative | Sept. 26, 2018, 8:44 a.m.

    Although Beijing insists that its Belt and Road Initiative has no geopolitical motives, the project has been at the center of an increasing number of political controversies, foreign and domestic, writes the Financial Times in a Special Report, citing analyses from the Reconnecting Asia Project.

  • View All Analysis | Sept. 17, 2018, 8:57 a.m.

    Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the Competing Visions of Japan, India, and other regional powers, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

  • Malaysia, Singapore To Revive ECRL | Sept. 5, 2018, 11:33 a.m.

    Malaysia and Singapore will resume construction of the 350 km East Coast Rail Link project in 2020 on the basis that Singapore will be compensated $11 million for the delay.

  • Malaysia Halts China-Backed Projects | Aug. 21, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir claims that Chinese leaders have accepted his government's request to stop three China-backed infrastructure projects due to debt concerns.

  • Mahathir To Renegotiate Chinese Infrastructure Deals | Aug. 16, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

    Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is heading to China to renegotiate billion-dollar infrastructure projects signed by his predecessor, in an effort to reduce the nation's financial dependence on China.

  • Vietnam Rethinks Chinese Assistance | Aug. 15, 2018, 9:57 a.m.

    Vietnam's Ministry of Investment and Planning issued a warning to its government about Chinese development assistance, citing concerns of high interest rates, project overruns, and a lack of local contribution to the projects.

  • BRI Funding Exceeds U.S. Indo-Pacific Push | Aug. 1, 2018, 10:17 a.m.

    The U.S.'s recently announced plan to invest $113 million in infrastructure throughout the Indo-Pacific region will have a limited impact and pales in comparison to China's multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative, according to Dr. James Crabtree of the National University of Singapore.

  • BRI Empowers SE Asia's Strongmen | July 25, 2018, 10:33 a.m.

    Chinese infrastructure investment throughout Southeast Asia has shifted the tide of opinion, simultaneously supporting authoritarian politics in certain states and engendering opposition to Belt and Road in others, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Malaysia Halves Cost of LRT3 | July 12, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

    Mahathir's new government intended to cut the cost of the Light Rail Transit 3 project by 47%, from 31.65 billion ringgit to 16.63 billion ringgit ($4.11 billion). This also sends a worrying message to stakeholders of other costly infrastructure projects signed by Najib's government, which was blamed for "poor governance."

  • Mahathir to Renegotiate BRI Deals | July 6, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

    Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is expected to lead a government delegation to Beijing, as Malaysia figures out how to service loans taken from China to finance costly infrastructure projects.

  • Malaysia Suspends Major BRI Project | July 5, 2018, 9:48 a.m.

    Malaysia suspended work on the East Coast Railway Link, which was being constructed by a Chinese contractor for $20 billion. This may signal Mahathir administration's intent to cut national debt ahead of the potential renegotiation with China.

  • World Bank to Malaysia: Restructure Infrastructure Financing | July 2, 2018, 8:48 a.m.

    The World Bank Monday urged Malaysia's new government to step up fiscal reforms amid robust economic growth to make the country more resilient to potential future shocks.The government should also restructure large-scale infrastructure projects and improve spending efficiency, it said.

  • Malaysia Seeks Japanese Yen to Reduce Infrastructure Debt | June 12, 2018, 10:46 a.m.

    Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has asked Japan for yen-denominated loans as Kuala Lumpur seeks to pare down its hefty debt load of $272 billion, 80 percent of total GDP, which has been blamed on the previous government for corruption and lavish spending on infrastructure projects.

  • Malaysia Reviews $2.36B Worth of China-funded Projects | June 7, 2018, 10:07 a.m.

    Malaysia's Ministry of Finance is reviewing two gas pipeline projects worth $2.36 billion signed under the Najib administration, following the discovery that 88 percent of the money has been paid out despite only 13 percent of the work being completed.

  • Malaysia Rethinks China Infrastructure Deals | June 6, 2018, 10:09 a.m.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will send his finance minister to Beijing to renegotiate several infrastructure contracts following the discovery of three Chinese-funded and built projects where payments were made based on agreed time milestones and not work completed.

  • $13.8B East Coast Rail Stays Funded | June 4, 2018, 9:35 a.m.

    Despite the recent cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail line, the Chinese-funded East Coast Rail Link connecting Malaysia's biggest port to the Thailand border will maintain its funding amid government cutbacks, according to Malaysia’s Finance Minister.

  • Malaysia Rethinks Costly Infrastructure Projects | June 1, 2018, 10:28 a.m.

    Malaysia's decision to cancel the high-speed rail from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore suggests that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's new government may reevaluate other costly Chinese-led projects to cut the country's debt, Nikkei reports.

  • Malaysia Cancels Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR | May 30, 2018, 9:46 a.m.

    Malaysia has canceled plans for a $14.8 billion high-speed rail project that would have connected Kuala Lumpur with Singapore.

  • Malaysia Terminates Kuala Lumpur-Singapore Rail | May 29, 2018, 10:34 a.m.

    Prime Minister Mahathir cancelled a proposed high-speed railway project that would have connected Kuala Lumpur with Singapore on Monday, citing the overall cost of the project as a primary concern. Mahathir's predecessor signed a legally-binding deal with his counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in December 2016 as a symbol of closer bilateral cooperation which will now require negotiating a $125 million penalty for pulling out.

  • Malaysian Debt Jeopardizes Key Projects | May 24, 2018, 9:58 a.m.

    Facing a $251 billion national debt that is far higher than figures published by the previous administration, the new Malaysian government will reexamine key infrastructure projects such as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed railway and the East Coast Rail Link.

  • Malaysian PM Reconsiders Infrastructure Plans | May 23, 2018, 9:45 a.m.

    Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stated that his government may scrap or renegotiate some infrastructure projects committed to by Najib's administration. The possible move stems from his goal to cut down debt and reduce Malaysia's fiscal burden.

  • The Clouds Gathering around China's Belt and Road | May 16, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

    China's President Xi Jinping promised that his Belt and Road Initiative would be a "plan in the sunshine." But the BRI's outlook is darkening as some actual and potential partners raise concerns about transparency, debt sustainability, and even China's underlying strategic aims.

  • New Malaysian PM Rethinks Infrastructure | May 14, 2018, 10:11 a.m.

    After winning the elections last week, Malaysia's new Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, is expected to re-evaluate the country's relations with China, including the issue of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects.

  • Malaysian PM Touts Infrastructure Gains | April 27, 2018, 10:30 a.m.

    Malaysia’s prime minister Najib has vowed to continue a track record of infrastructure developments, which includes the the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail, ahead of upcoming elections.

  • Europe Heavyweights Bid for KL-Singapore HSR | Feb. 13, 2018, 10:29 a.m.

    A consortium of European companies including the German Engineering company Siemens, France's Alstom, Austria's PORR, and Italian State Railways will team up with a Malaysian engineering company to bid for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail line. The consortium is expected to face rival bidders from both China and Japan.

  • India Courts ASEAN to Counter BRI | Jan. 25, 2018, 10:10 a.m.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes all ten ASEAN leaders to New Dehli in an attempt to strengthen trade and connectivity with the bloc.

  • Malaysia, Singapore Sign Rail Transport Pact | Jan. 17, 2018, 10:58 a.m.

    Malaysia and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement to build and run a Rapid Transit System Link on Tuesday, advancing an initiative to boost connectivity between the two Southeast Asian nations.

  • 18 Projects to Watch in 2018 | Dec. 22, 2017, 9:21 a.m.

    Reconnecting Asia is tracking developments across a vast landmass that includes 60 percent of the global economy. Every day, new infrastructure projects are announced, some are advanced, and others encounter obstacles. Here is a selection of the top projects to watch in 2018.

  • Bidding Opens for KL-Singapore HSR | Dec. 20, 2017, 9:50 a.m.

    Bidding for the high-speed railway project connecting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur kicked off on Wednesday, in what is shaping up to be an intense battle between Chinese and Japanese contractors.

  • Malaysia Co. Bids for East Coast Rail | Dec. 11, 2017, 9:29 a.m.

    Malaysian construction company Gabungan AQRS is close to winning a contract to construct Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link from Port Klang to the border with Thailand.

  • India, ASEAN to Propel Asia's Economy | Dec. 7, 2017, 9:34 a.m.

    New projections show India's economy becoming third largest in the world, with other major ASEAN nations surging forward to propel Asian economic growth.

  • Malaysia, China Explore Joint Infrastructure | Dec. 4, 2017, 10:51 a.m.

    Malaysia's Ireka Corporation, a construction and real estate company signed a memorandum of understanding with China's CRRC Urban Traffic Co. to explore business opportunities including rail and infrastructure construction arising from China's 'One Belt One Road' initiative.

  • OECD: SE Asia Needs Taxes for Infrastructure | Nov. 15, 2017, 9:54 a.m.

    Southeast Asian governments need to collect more taxes to sustain the region's infrastructure expansion, reports the OECD.

  • Economists Skeptical of BRI Benefits in Malaysia | Nov. 9, 2017, 11:22 a.m.

    Massive China-led projects in Malaysia may benefit Malaysia less than advertised.

  • Malaysia Puts Up $1.5B for Infrastructure | Oct. 27, 2017, 9:57 a.m.

    Malaysia announced it will spend over $1.53 billion to build new roads and bridges in an infrastructure development push that will help sustain growth in the key construction sector.