No increase in ECRL construction cost: Minister

The construction cost of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project from Kota Bharu to Port Klang along 665km and 20 stations in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor remains at RM50.27 billion, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), as the owner of the ECRL project, is subject to the Land Acquisition Act 1960 for the lands involved in the ECRL project.

Based on the Act, state authorities can acquire any land that is needed for the purpose of development for the public.

Loke said the director-general of Lands and Mines Department, together with MRL, will identify any remaining land that is uneconomic as a result of land acquisition by the ECRL project.

“If the remaining land is less than 0.25ha from the gazette of Section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960, the land will be taken in its entirety. Compensation payments named as ‘injurious affection and severance’ will also be given to land owners for land that no longer provides profit value due to land separation or the condition of the size and shape of the land left after the acquisition is done,” he said at the questionand-answer session.

Loke was replying to Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Abd Muttalib (PN-Maran) who wanted to know the final cost of the ECRL construction, and what action would be taken regarding the unused part of the acquisition land.

Loke said the Property Valuation and Services Department will conduct a detailed study on the claimed losses.

“Compensation payments will be made within three months after MRL receives the total compensation offer recommended by the Land and Mine Department.

“Land owners can object to the amount of compensation offered by submitting a written appeal to the High Court within six weeks after the issuance of the written compensation offer,” he said.