The federal government will continue with the Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double-tracking rail project, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said.

"I am pleased to confirm that the federal government will continue with this project, as set out in Budget 2016 recently," Najib - who is also finance minister - said at the grand opening of the Forest City real estate development in Iskandar Puteri today.

The ceremony was graced by Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

It had been announced last year that Malaysia was awarding the Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double-tracking (EDTP) project to China Railway.

The line will complete the whole electrified double-tracking rail network up to Padang Besar.

It was reported that currently, there are 1,641.4km of railway network in Malaysia, of which 46 percent are electrified double tracks.

The completion of the Gemas-Johor Baru EDTP in 2020 will extend the rail network to 58 percent, it said.

- Bernama