The big difference is Japan and China self funded their HSR and don't have huge loans to other countries to serve. The HSR make losses also the debt is served within the country and not an obligation to other countries. That is the key difference.

Also, both countries population is much higher than Malaysia and their cities have huge population. Shanghai population is more or less our whole country population. Osaka is about 21 million which is more than half of our country's population.

Klang Valley population only 8.8 million. Ipoh just 880k and Penang only 1.2 million. Whole state of Melaka population only 1 million. Negeri Sembilan only 1.2 million. See the difference?