ECRL INSPIRES ECONOMIC GROWTH
THE 2018 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak proves that besides the people’s welfare, the government is also focused and committed in boosting national economic growth through the development of transportation.
The idea of realising the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project that links Port Klang and Pengkalan Kubor in Kelantan is a wise developmental agenda as it can contribute to economic returns in the future.
Economically, the ECRL that transports goods could attract more industrial players, especially goods manufacturers to ship their products to the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.
In fact, there are some industries which are based in the Klang Valley and other southern regions that have been transporting their products to these east coast destinations by road for years.
ECRL could change this.
The existence of ECRL would enhance the efficiency of freight transportation in the national economic activities.
The efficiency would give economies of scale and cost ef- fectiveness to industrial players who to send their products from their origins to these destinations.
ECRL could also accelerate the momentum of manufacturing industries to cater for more business demands in the potential markets in southern and eastern regions.
The barriers in terms of pointto-point delivery would no longer be a problem once ECRL starts its operations.
Besides boosting the national gross domestic product, the ECRL could promote the ECER to foreign investors.
Foreign Direct Investment is an important factor in the economic sustainability of Malaysia.
The ECRL should be seen as one of the important economic catalysts for every business sector to expand its activities in a sustainable manner.
The ECRL is a good logistical platform that offers less travel time and better freight-delivery cost to industrial players.