Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today shared the same stage with Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali to launch Klang Valley's newest urban rail project - the 37km Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) with 26 stations connecting Shah Alam, Klang and Petaling Jaya.

"We may differ in many other things but in matters of public's interest, we must deliver," said Najib during the launch held at the Melawati indoor stadium in Shah Alam.

Proclaiming himself to be in a good mood after welcoming home the Malaysian Rio Olympics squad at KLIA, Najib ended his speech by announcing a special 50 percent discount for commuters travelling on the Rapid KL LRT and monorail networks between 6am and 7am from Sept 16 onwards.

In opening the event, the day's emcee Yasmin Yusuf quipped, "Next stop, Shah Alam" - to cheers from the guests, comprising mostly Prasarana staff, who recognised her voice as the one announcing the stations for all LRT stops.

Also on stage were Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, Housing, Urban Wellbeing and Local Government Minister and Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar, Selangor exco member Teng Chang Kim, Prasarana chairperson Ismail Adam and other top company officials.

Najib earlier described the project as a significant milestone for the government's urban public transport transformation agenda.

"With the population of greater Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley expected to grow to 10 million in 2020, there was a compelling need to improve liveability in the area.

"We needed to ease traffic congestion, provide better accessibility and substantially improve the urban public transportation system," he said.

The entire LRT3 alignment will be passing through major commercial and industrial areas in Selangor, as well as educational institutions with a population of more than 50,000 students.

"This is a clear statement of the government's support for projects that bring benefit for the rakyat of Selangor," he said.

Five of the stations would be integrated with existing or new transit lines operated by project owner Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.

Construction work on the project is scheduled to begin early next year, with a targeted completion date of Aug 31, 2020, and at a capped cost of RM9 billion.

Speaking at the launch, Ismail said the project is expected to improve connectivity for commuters in the western Klang Valley area.

In comparison to other existing modes of rail travel in the area, LRT3 is expected to transport the highest number of passengers at the rate of 36,720 people per direction per hour.

Joint-venture company MRCB George Kent Sdn Bhd was appointed as Prasarana's project delivery partner for the LRT3 alignment.

The pre-qualification stage of competitive tendering was completed in May, with 96 companies shortlisted from 124 applicants.