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KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor executive council’s decision to oppose the proposed realignment of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) through Gombak and Serendah will potentially delay the completion of the project, which will end in December 2026.
Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) Chairman Mohd Zuki Ali said the council should reconsider its decision in light of solutions and mitigation plans that have been put in place to address concerns about the project’s environmental and social impact.
“MRL would like to reiterate that the construction of the ECRL is in the national interest and not for the benefit of any particular state.
“It is envisioned as a game changer and a catalyst for socioeconomic growth that reduces economic inequality between the west coast and east coast of Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
He said the council’s statement was a real disappointment, especially after MRL, as the owner of the project, had made countless commitments to the Selangor state government and its agencies in the past eight months, from June 2020 to February this. year, about the plan to return to the original lineup.
“In fact, the commitments have received constructive comments from the technical departments and agencies of the Selangor state government,” he said.
He said that MRL has also addressed all the issues raised by the various state agencies in the reversion to the original ECRL alignment and has provided solutions and mitigations that involve environmental protection, minimizing social impact and improving rail connectivity among others.
“For example, MRL has presented a definitive solution to the problem of protecting the Gombak Quartz Ridge by designing an alignment that crosses an existing road for ECRL to cross the ridge.
“As such, MRL is surprised that the council has left out the compelling details that MRL has provided, either to the various state agencies or to the Selangor Economic Action Council on the clear advantages of the original ECRL alignment.” added.
Previously, it was reported that Selangor supported the ECRL project, but insisted that the railway line should traverse a southern route through Negeri Sembilan and Putrajaya rather than the northern route through Gombak and Serendah, as recently announced by the Minister of Transport. .
