The expertise of 63 Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) personnel is to be utilised to help run the Arafah-Mina electric train service to be introduced in Saudi Arabia during the Haj season this year.

Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha said today all the personnel had undergone stringent tests in many aspects prior to serving with the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddasseh Southern Line.

"All of them will serve in their own area of expertise, such as operations, technical, training, security, passenger handling and station management," he said in a statement.

Nine of the personnel had left for Mecca on Monday and the rest would do so on Sept 26, he said, adding that all of them would complete their service once the Haj season ended in November.

Kong said the offer to utilise KTMB personnel in Saudi Arabia reflected on the expertise and quality of work of Malaysians, as they were getting recognition abroad.

The minister said the modern electric train service over a stretch of 18 kilometres from Arafah to Mina would replace the bus and other land transportation services hitherto used during the Haj season.

Each trip of the 12-coach train could transport 3,000 people, he added.

- Bernama