SINGAPORE, Sept 6 ― Experts and observers who spoke to TODAY unanimously agreed that the pact to defer the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project was a good outcome for bilateral relations, but they were divided on whether the postponement was a “win-win” for both countries, as Malaysian Economic Affairs minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali put it.

Terence Fan, transport analyst from the Singapore Management University, said that both parties came out “stronger”, especially in terms of bilateral ties, after Wednesday’s agreement. “I think Singapore would be a little bit too cold-hearted if it does not make any allowances to help Malaysia.”

By agreeing to a deferment, “Singapore is keeping Malaysia as a party still committed in developing the rail project, so I think it’s a big win for both sides”, he added.

The alternative, Fan said, would be that “Malaysia would try to walk away and try to give Singapore the (full compensation) which could amount to RM500 million”, a sum mentioned by Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.