KUALA LUMPUR – Former transport minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong has lauded the federal and Selangor governments over the decision to proceed with the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.
On Facebook, Wee said the progress of the project is at 37% and that it is due to be completed in December 2026, while operations would start in early 2027.
“This gives clarity, predictability, and confidence to all stakeholders involved, including those who would eventually benefit from the service once it’s completed,” Wee said.
“I wish to commend the Selangor government once again for working with the federal government to finalise the Supplementary Agreement 6 (SA6).”
Wee said his joint press conference with Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on December 2, last year marked the state’s acceptance to proceed with the northern alignment, now dubbed ECRL 3.0 alignment, after all outstanding issues with the state’s environmental and social concerns were resolved.
He added the acceptance allowed developers MRL Sdn Bhd and CCCC to sign the SA6 on June 2, this year to carry on with the last package of the 665km rail project at a cost of RM50.27 billion, which includes a land bridge to Port Klang linking the ECRL to West Port and North Port.
Wee said RM50.27 billion is the final cost figure for the ECRL project, which had been approved by the government.
“The number of stations had been reduced, soil improvement work has been omitted in 2019 while the ECRL was decided to be terminated at Kota Baru instead of Pengkalan Kubor,” Wee said.
“Once again, congratulations to the new government for continuing with the ECRL project as scheduled.”
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the overall cost to complete the 665km ECRL project is now RM11.01 billion lower than originally set.
He said although there has been some increase in cost due to a rail realignment, the government has managed to reduce it after the Finance Ministry, Transport Ministry and Works Ministry conducted negotiations.
“The overall cost of the ECRL is now RM11.01 billion lower than the original cost of RM85.97 billion set in 2016,” he told a press conference today after chairing the cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya yesterday.
According to Anwar, the government’s decision to proceed with the contentious project without any further changes is to prevent further delays to its completion and complication to ongoing works and negotiations.
Previously on December 6, Transport Minister Anthony Loke had said that despite the change in government following the recent general election, the ECRL project would proceed without any changes.
Aside from the ECRL, the DAP Seremban MP said improvement of public transport service digitalisation and road safety will also be among his ministry’s key agendas. – The Vibes, December 22, 2022
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