Najib to officiate ECRL groundbreaking event in Pahang on August 9

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak will officiate the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project groundbreaking ceremony at Bandar Baru Kuantan, Pahang, on Aug 9.

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) Chief Executive Officer, Darwis Abdul Razak said the event would be held at the ECRL KotaSAS Central Station project site.

Invitees to the momentous event include high-ranking Chinese government officials and project stakeholders.

“The Prime Minister has been instrumental in bringing the ECRL to fruition. As such, it will be an honour to have him officiate a key catalytic infrastructure project, that will see a new railway connect the east coast states with the Greater Klang Valley,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The ECRL project, which serves as a game changer to encourage economic growth, is anticipated to increase the income of industries and businesses located along the route.

Locals will eventually see their economy develop by a minimum of 1.5 per cent.

A high impact project under the 11th Malaysia Plan, the construction of the 688-kilometre ECRL route is estimated to cost about RM55 billion.

Darwis said the ERCL project received positive response from the local populace during the recent three month public inspection that covered some 15 districts in the east coast states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

The ECRL will also see a reduction in carbon emission. MRL, a special purpose vehicle owned by Minister of Finance Inc, is the project owner for the ECRL, while China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), will be involved in the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the new railway line. — Bernama