By Sharen Kaur
KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) will either need to be re-engineered or allow private parties to fully utilise the electrified double-tracking (EDT) project from Seremban to Padang Besar.
Railwaymen Union of Malaya (RUM) president Abdul Razak Md Hassan said KTMB can also buy new trains or lease them to help maximise utilisation of the EDT line.
However, the loss-making national company has no government guarantee and funding to buy or lease trains, Razak said.
"The EDT lines from Seremban to Gemas and Ipoh to Padang Besar will require at least 100 locomotives. KTMB only has 44 locomotives in operation, which are being utilised in the Klang Valley.
"The best thing for KTMB to do right now is to get a private party to
re-engineer the company and supply locomotives at reasonable cost with a
quick delivery action plan," Razak told Business Times.
Business Times reported yesterday that the EDT line between Seremban and Gemas is completed, but may not be fully utilised until there are enough trains.
This will result in opportunity loss for KTMB, which runs into millions of ringgit every year, he said.
The government is spending RM16 billion to develop the EDT line from Seremban to Padang Besar.
The stretch between Seremban and Gemas, worth RM3.45 billion, was awarded to India's Ircon International Ltd in 2007. Ircon is expected to hand over the job to KTMB next month to facilitate operation from early next year.
The stretch between Ipoh and Padang Besar, worth RM12.5 billion, is undertaken by MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd. This line is expected to complete by the middle of next year.
KTMB president Datuk Elias Kadir did not reply to Business Times queries.
Officials from the company, meanwhile, said KTMB should get private parties like YTL (Corp Bhd), which has cement business to utilise the tracks.
"YTL can get its own supply of locomotives and wagons and pay trackage fee to KTMB," they said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) will either need to be re-engineered or allow private parties to fully utilise the electrified double-tracking (EDT) project from Seremban to Padang Besar.
Railwaymen Union of Malaya (RUM) president Abdul Razak Md Hassan said KTMB can also buy new trains or lease them to help maximise utilisation of the EDT line.
However, the loss-making national company has no government guarantee and funding to buy or lease trains, Razak said.
"The EDT lines from Seremban to Gemas and Ipoh to Padang Besar will require at least 100 locomotives. KTMB only has 44 locomotives in operation, which are being utilised in the Klang Valley.
Business Times reported yesterday that the EDT line between Seremban and Gemas is completed, but may not be fully utilised until there are enough trains.
This will result in opportunity loss for KTMB, which runs into millions of ringgit every year, he said.
The government is spending RM16 billion to develop the EDT line from Seremban to Padang Besar.
The stretch between Seremban and Gemas, worth RM3.45 billion, was awarded to India's Ircon International Ltd in 2007. Ircon is expected to hand over the job to KTMB next month to facilitate operation from early next year.
The stretch between Ipoh and Padang Besar, worth RM12.5 billion, is undertaken by MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd. This line is expected to complete by the middle of next year.
KTMB president Datuk Elias Kadir did not reply to Business Times queries.
Officials from the company, meanwhile, said KTMB should get private parties like YTL (Corp Bhd), which has cement business to utilise the tracks.
"YTL can get its own supply of locomotives and wagons and pay trackage fee to KTMB," they said.
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