Sunday, July 13, 2014

ERLSB eyes listing if it wins HSR project

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST on July 2, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB) will look to raise funds, including a listing on Bursa Malaysia, if it lands the proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project.

The company, which is majority-controlled by YTL Corp Bhd, is hoping to expand on back of the project, says its chief operating officer Noormah Mohd Nor.

"We are interested to build HSR as we have the expertise. Once the government or the Land Public Transport Commission come out with the tenders, we will bid for it.

"As for listing, we don't have any plans now. We will look into an initial public offering to fund the construction of the HSR project, if we get it," she said recently.

ERLSB operates the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit train services from KL Sentral in Brickfields to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) in Sepang.

The company won a 30-year concession in August 1997 to finance, build, maintain and control the express rail link (ERL) operations.

It recently extended the ERL line from KLIA to klia2 at a cost of RM100 million.

Noormah said ERLSB is looking at expansion to enhance its earnings.

Business Times recently reported that the company plans to extend the ERL service from KLIA to Seremban and Malacca.

The ERL line, which is served by 12 four-car train sets, is expected to carry 8.4 million passengers this year between KL Sentral and the airports, and 10 million next year.

Analysts said annual passenger numbers may double if the line is extended to Malacca.

"The numbers would get bigger with the HSR line taking shape in 2020," they said.

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