A map of the proposed rail line from Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission (left). On the right, intact forests (green) and areas that have lost tree cover from 2000-2015 (red and yellow).

Malaysia’s new government has called into question the future of multibillion-dollar rail projects since Mahathir Mohamad took power in May. Now it appears to be ready to proceed with at least one.

However, with news of a faster 665km East Coast Rail Link that will open a new route along Malaysia's east coast (to begin by 2026), the slow Jungle Railway, which takes more than 16 hours, may ...