ECRL will proceed, says Loke

 

The 665km rail network, which includes 59 tunnels, is estimated to cost RM50.27 billion and will traverse four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The RM50 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project will be continued by the federal government, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

According to Bernama, Loke said the ECRL was among ongoing transport projects that will continue despite the change in government after the recently concluded general election.

The 665km rail network, which includes 59 tunnels, is estimated to cost RM50.27 billion. It will traverse four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

After clocking in for his first day as transport minister earlier, Loke also said issues with public transportation and digitising its service will be among the key agendas he will be focusing on.

Loke was the transport minister from May 2018 to February 2020, under the Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led Pakatan Harapan administration.

The PH government had halted the ECRL project momentarily when it came to power in 2018, after construction began in August 2017. Work resumed in 2019.

During the recent election campaign, Loke had pledged that the project would not be cancelled if PH formed the government.

In May, Amanah leader Faiz Fadzil claimed that the ECRL was unlikely to be profitable in the long run and may need to be bailed out by the government, voicing doubt over the forecasted number of users. - FMT