PARLIAMENT | The previous administration failed to reveal the total hidden cost of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali said today.

"There are a lot of hidden costs which the previous government did not reveal before this, so as such, the Pakatan Harapan government has the responsibility to expose the overall costing," he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Azmin was responding to Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) who questioned the drastic changes in the costing involving the HSR project.

He had asked why the cost of the project had exceeded RM110 billion when it was revealed that it would cost only between RM55 billion and RM74 billion.

Wee said he was surprised when all of a sudden the cost of HSR halved from the original RM110 billion.

Meanwhile, Najib Abdul Razak (BN-Pekan) asked how the government had concluded that HSR will cost RM110 billion when the tender will be only closed on Dec 8.

Azmin replied that the RM110 billion is the costing of HSR, not the amount of the tender.

Elaborating further, Azmin said he would lead the delegates from three ministries to Singapore to discuss the project with their counterparts there in the near future.

"We will also look at our government's affordability to fund the project.

“If we are not able to do it under the current economic situation, then our stand is to discuss with the Singapore government to ensure all the conditions stated in the contract are complied with," he said.

Azmin added that the contract should be to both the parties that entered into the agreement.