PUTRAJAYA – The implementation of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is based on economic interests and technical issues, and is not politically motivated, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
He said the decision to revert to the original alignment, called the ECRL 3.0 alignment, is to maximise economic and technical advantages for the whole project and its spillover effects.
He said the ECRL 3.0 alignment is to complete the formation of the national cargo hub in Serendah and increase the efficiency of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and ECRL cargo services.
“This is important because 70% of the ECRL’s revenue is from cargo transportation,” he said in a statement today in response to an article published on a portal claiming the construction of the ECRL is politically motivated.
Wee said the national cargo hub will facilitate seamless rail connectivity from Serendah to economic corridors and ports in Peninsular Malaysia, including the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) and Penang Port, East Coast Economic Region (ECER) and Kuantan Port, as well as Iskandar Malaysia and Tg Pelepas Port.
He said the connectivity through the original alignment to Port Klang with Westport and Northport offered better routes for international trade, making them more attractive for export-orientated business industries.
Meanwhile, the connection until the final route or “last-mile” Kuantan Port and Port Klang under ECRL 3.0 would bring both coastal valleys closer to a land bridge that will facilitate the transfer of goods, he said.
Wee had previously been reported to have said that the ECRL project, which is expected to be completed in 2026, had reached 20.37% completion in January this year compared with the original schedule of 19.39%.
The ECRL 3.0 alignment is also expected to boost new developments and townships as well as spur commercial activities in relatively new areas, like Puncak Alam and Kapar, which have both been designated as areas for future ECRL stations, Wee added.
Meanwhile, he said the northern alignment is expected to attract 26 million tonnes of cargo and five million passengers in the first year of operations, while the southern alignment is predicted to attract nine million tonnes of cargo and four million passengers in the first year.
Wee also said that the government would still need to continue the construction of the Serendah bypass, despite the southern alignment as the bypass will immediately resolve bottleneck and KTMB freight congestion issues around Kuala Lumpur. – Bernama, March 30, 2021
