The Malaysian government is planning a new development blueprint to tap unrealised potential in the south-west of Peninsular Malaysia - with the move raising hopes that the government might be considering resuming the postponed high-speed rail (HSR) project with Singapore.

Officials with knowledge of the plan, which is still in its infancy, revealed that the New Economic Corridor (NEC) centres on integrating connectivity across smaller towns along the coast and the interior, which have been unable to realise their economic potential due to a lack of infrastructure.