The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project could have generated RM650 billion in gross national income (GNI) by 2069 if implemented, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said today.

Lamenting Putrajaya's decision to scrap the project, Najib said the HSR could also have created half a million jobs.

"Estimates in the report that I have seen showed that the economic benefits are up to RM650 billion in GNI until 2069.

"Meanwhile there will be 110,000 job opportunities, which were expected to grow to 442,000 jobs by 2069," he said in a Facebook posting.

Besides this, he said the HSR would have also raised property value, encouraged the transfer of technology, and promoted tourism.

Read more: Dr M: RM100b on HSR to create 100k jobs not efficient

Najib asked the new Pakatan Harapan government to make public its own economic impact report for the project in the interest of transparency.

Najib's estimate of RM650 billion in GNI is higher than the RM200 billion figure previously cited by former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

A BN spokesperson clarified with Malaysiakini that Rahman's estimate was for the short-term, during the construction of the HSR.

'RM110b politically inflated?'

In his Facebook posting, the former premier also demanded that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad substantiate how the new government had arrived at the RM110 billion figure for the project, compared to the RM72 billion estimated by the previous BN administration.

"Was this figure politically inflated, as was the RM1 trillion 'national debt' figure?" Najib asked.

Najib said Putrajaya should have held dialogues before rushing into the decision to cancel the HSR.

"Times have changed, and today's economy is more sophisticated then before, and it is disappointing if the prime minister fails to see the returns from this project as an economic catalyst... beyond just the sale of tickets.

"Don't make a decision simply because of deep hatred for an individual or the (previous) BN government. Decisions clouded by emotions will only hurt the people," he said.