A much better deal by any measure.
- 40% of works to be done by Malaysian firms
- More states to enjoy economic benefits of new deal
- Direct land link from Kuantan Port to Port Klang, serving as a land bridge between the two ports
- Prioritises environmental factors by avoiding Klang Gates Quartz Ridge in Gombak, which is the longest pure quartz dyke in the world
- Improves passenger connectivity to other parts of the west coast
- Provides a direct link to KLIA
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today revealed that the original agreement to build East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) did not stipulate the required local contractor participation.
“In the original document there was nothing about Malaysian share of the construction, but now we include also the participation by Malaysian side in the construction of the rail,” he told a press conference today.
Under the new supplementary agreement signed on April 12 this year, Dr Mahathir said China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) has agreed to include in the agreement that it will ensure 40% of the civil works are awarded to local contractors.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the new and improved ECRL alignment will pass through five states and Putrajaya, while the previous deal involved four states.
“This allows more states to enjoy the economic benefits of the improved deal.
“The southern alignment will provide a direct land link from Kuantan Port to Port Klang, serving as a land bridge between the two ports.
“The new alignment also prioritises cultural, heritage and environmental factors by avoiding the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge in Gombak, which is the longest pure quartz dyke in the world,” he said.
Under the original alignment, the ECRL would pass through Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang before entering Selangor through Gombak before making its way to Serendah and Port Klang.
However, it will now skip Bentong and Gombak; instead, it turns south from Mentakab to Kuala Klawang in Negeri Sembilan before entering Selangor through Bangi/Kajang and then proceeding to Putrajaya Sentral and finally Port Klang.
“The new alignment will leverage the existing KLIA Express Rail Link (ERL), as well as the future MRT2 Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line, with an interchange in Putrajaya Sentral.
“This will improve passenger connectivity to other parts of the peninsula’s west coast, as well as provide a direct link to Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” he said.
The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed rail, which construction has been postponed until 2020, is also expected to pass the Putrajaya/Bangi area.
Mahathir said this was a significant improvement on the ECRL going to Gombak, where it will only have one interchange with an LRT line.