On the dot delivery
Scomi Engineering to ensure remaining four-car trains are ready on time
PETALING JAYA: Scomi Engineering Bhd would take all efforts to ensure the remaining seven four-car trains are delivered to Prasarana Malaysia Bhd on schedule after the dispute between both parties were recently ironed out with the signing of a third supplemental agreement for the RM494 mil expansion of the KL Monorail project.
It is understood that the new agreement between Scomi Engineering and Prasarana has strict timelines for Scomi Engineering to adhere to and the train manufacturer intends to meet those timelines to avoid its contract being cancelled by Prasarana.
A blame game over the four-car trains recently surfaced after four four-car trains were pulled from service over safety issues.
That action saw Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) issue a statement urging Prasarana to take immediate measures to improve the safety and reliability of its current fleet of four-car trains.
In a statement last week, SPAD directed Prasarana to take immediate measures to improve the reliability of the current five sets of the four-car trains by adopting more stringent maintenance and inspection regime, as well as higher service and safety standards.
“This will enable the operator to identify problems early before they result in service disrup- tions and delays to commuters. The commission also urges Scomi, the train manufacturer to continue to cooperate and fast-track the delivery of the remaining seven sets of new four-car trains.
“This is key to enable Prasarana to run trains more frequently and improve the capacity of the current KL Monorail fleet to support higher passenger volume, particularly during peak hours,” it said.
SPAD said that in order for greater oversight and to ensure timely and appropriate actions are taken, Prasarana was required to submit to SPAD regular updates of faults detected in the KL Monorail network through their routine maintenance which includes rectification plans and specific timelines.
Prasarana said it had identified several safety-related concerns and had asked train manufacturer Scomi Engineering to rectify the problems. Scomi Engineering said it is unable to comment on the matter as it involves an ongoing contract, but StarBiz understands that the protracted dispute between Prasarana and Scomi Engineering led to the complications with the maintenance of the trains.
“We have identified several safety-related concerns on the four-car trains and have demanded Scomi, the train manufacturer, to carry out all safety-critical improvement works and re-certify the rail-worthiness of the four-car trains.
“This is to ensure the trains are fit for operations and public safety is not compromised. We would follow up closely with Scomi to ensure all safety-critical improvement works are completed before the four-car trains are returned to revenue service,” said Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Zohari Sulaiman in a statement recently.
Rapid Rail operates the KL Monorail Line and is a subsidiary of Prasarana.
Prasarana and Scomi Engineering had been locked in dispute over the expansion of the KL Monorail project and in March, both parties inked a third supplemental contract to resolve the issue.
Scomi Engineering was reported as saying that it entered the new agreement “for the purpose of determining the legal proceedings between the parties amicably, while concurrently moving forward with the completion of the project works”.
The contract involves the upgrading of the Kuala Lumpur Monorail stations and the electrical and mechanical system, the construction of a new depot, and delivery of 12 sets of new fourcar trains
The four-car trains have been grounded since May 12 and currently, the KL Monorail Line is operating with only two-car trains at eight-minute intervals until further notice.
The first two four-car Malaysian-made monorail trains started operations in December 2014. All 12 trains worth RM494mil were scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2015, but only five sets have been delivered so far. The two-car sets will be phased out after 10 years.