Negeri Sembilan hopes ECRL new alignment maintained - Aminuddin
The Negeri Sembilan government hopes that the new alignment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project will be maintained to ensure positive economic impact on the state as well as reduce costs to the government.
Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun (above) said that if the alignment was to be changed it would likely delay the implementation of the project as it needed to go through renegotiations.
The Negeri Sembilan government hopes that the new alignment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project will be maintained to ensure positive economic impact on the state as well as reduce costs to the government.
Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun (above) said that if the alignment is changed it would likely delay the implementation of the project as it needed to go through renegotiations.
“We at the state level are very pleased to have the project go on as planned as the alignment will pass through Negeri Sembilan. We are aware that the previous government’s study was to lower ECRL costs even though the alignment is longer, but the cost is significantly lower.
“This will not only benefit the people but also the states involved. The more places the alignment passes through, the bigger the impact on the economy,” he said today.
He said this in a press conference after presenting 100 Sinar Kasih boxes organised by the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) to the underprivileged, asnaf, persons with disabilities (B40) and B40 families, which was attended by MBM president Jufitri Johar.
It was previously reported that there was a proposal to revert the ECRL back to the original alignment proposed during the previous BN administration.
The new alignment was decided by the Pakatan Harapan government, covering 20 stations, two of which will be located in Negeri Sembilan, namely, Kuala Klawang in Jelebu and Nilai Industrial Area in Nilai.
On March 27, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at the launch of the Prihatin economic stimulus package announced that the government would continue implementing all projects allocated in the 2020 Budget including the ECRL, Mass Rail Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line (MRT SSP) or MRT 2, and the National Optical and Connectivity Plan.
The 640km ECRL project resumed after an additional agreement between Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd was signed on April 12, 2019 at a lower cost of RM44 billion compared with its original cost of RM65.5 billion (involving a reduction of RM21.5 billion).
Scheduled for completion in December 2026, the ECRL, which will link Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang in the east coast with Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Putrajaya, is expected to cut travel time between Kota Baru and Putrajaya to approximately four hours at a speed of 160kph for passenger trains.
- Bernama
