Kong not aware of rail contract award

(Bernama) - Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha says he is not aware of any multi-billion ringgit contract being awarded to a Chinese firm for the construction of the Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double tracking project (EDTP).

The Ministry of Transport is totally unaware as the awarding of the contract comes under the Ministry of Finance, he told Bernama when contacted today.

Kong, currently abroad on leave, said his ministry was still in the process of designing the Gemas-Johor Baru EDTP.

"All I can confirm is that we are still in the process of designing. We have not done anything beyond preparing the design," he added.

He was responding to a report in a news portal that a Chinese firm, Chinese Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), together with local partner Gamuda Bhd, have been awarded a multi-billion ringgit contract to build the 197-km Gemas-Johor Baru rail project.

Quoting sources, the report said CRBC was picked instead of another front runner -- China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) -- for the project estimated to be worth between RM7 billion and RM8 billion, after it was put under a mid-term review in the Ninth Malaysia Plan. 

The project includes the building of nearly 200km of parallel railway tracks, stations, depots, halts, yards and bridges and cover systems such as electrification, signalling and communications. It would also see a realignment between Pulau Sebang, Melaka and the Gemas section.

The Gemas-Johor Baru sector would be the final link in the EDTP, with the other links being the Ipoh-Padang Besar and Seremban-Gemas lines.