KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — The proposed extension of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project to Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, will be brought to the Cabinet soon, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
He explained that while the project is currently under construction and the alignment to Rantau Panjang is part of the overall package, further discussions with China and the main contractor, China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC), are required.
“The proposal to extend the ECRL to Rantau Panjang is still being discussed because the project is ongoing, and the continuation (to Rantau Panjang) is part of the ECRL package that must be negotiated with China.
“This matter has not yet been tabled to the Cabinet, but I will bring it forward,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN–Pasir Mas), who asked about the government’s commitment to extend the ECRL to Rantau Panjang and whether a study on the project’s potential flood risks had been conducted.
Loke said technical studies, including those assessing flood risks, have not yet been carried out as a feasibility study for the ECRL project in Rantau Panjang must be done first.
He said the ECRL project was costly because most of the track alignments on the East Coast were built on elevated structures using high viaducts to minimise flood risks.
“For the station area in Rantau Panjang, if the ECRL is to be connected to Thailand, the ministry has identified a technical problem, namely the difference in track types used by the ECRL and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
“At Rantau Panjang, the track systems for the ECRL and SRT are not compatible. A yard area will be required because, to enable integration with Thailand, the SRT must be able to enter Rantau Panjang and be positioned adjacent to the ECRL track to allow cargo transfer operations,” he explained.
Loke added that the ministry is actively preparing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cross-Border Transport between Malaysia and Thailand as part of efforts to realise seamless cross-border rail connectivity.
He said that for the proposal to deliver the best long-term benefits to the country and stimulate the border economy for local communities, the ECRL must be connected to Thailand rather than terminating only in Rantau Panjang. — Bernama
