The main contractor for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) has warned of delays to the RM50.3 billion project as cases of cable theft along the rail network persist.
China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd said that cases of cable and transformer theft were uncovered in June, as criminals continued to target high-value railway components.
“In the short span of two weeks, a total of 1.08km of contact wire between Temerloh and Lanchang, and 599m between Lanchang and Bentong, was stolen,” it said in a statement.
The company said this had added to repair costs and threatened to delay overall progress as custom-made parts took months to procure.
“This also affects the project’s role in delivering long-term social and economic benefits to the east coast region and the nation.”
The construction company said it was working closely with the authorities to investigate these incidents.
In June, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) raised concerns over cases of cable theft which it said could disrupt the planning and operational timeline of the ECRL, now at a critical phase ahead of its targeted completion in December 2026.
MRL CEO Darwis Abdul Razak said several cases of theft had been detected at specific locations along the ECRL track, which spans Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor.
Darwis said 2025 marked the most critical phase of the project, with the installation of communication, information, and signalling systems underway.
With operations slated to begin in 2027, China Communications Construction Company could incur losses of RM1.25 million per day if it fails to complete the project on time.
