Thursday, August 3, 2023

Govt mulls developing the railway network in Sabah, Sarawak

By Sharen Kaur - August 3, 2023, NST Business 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government would examine prospects to strengthen the railway sector in Sabah and Sarawak, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

  He hoped that there would be more links as far as track development is concerned, in order to create new railway lines and improve Malaysia's rail networks.

  "There are many rail projects ongoing in Malaysia. We are pushing for the timely completion of the Gemas-Johor Bharu Electrified Double Track Rail Project (Gemas-JB EDTP) and the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL)," he said.

  Loke said he was encouraged to see so much interest in the Malaysian rail industry. 

  "Last week, MyHSR had a Request for Information (RFI) briefing for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (KL-SG HSR) project, and it attracted many players. We will push for more (rail projects) in Malaysia, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, and in other major cities (in Peninsular Malaysia)," he said at the Women in Rail Malaysia Conference 2023 in Kuala Lumpur today.

  With the recent revival of the KL-SG HSR project by the Malaysian government, the Women in Rail Conference 2023 assumes even greater significance.

  Datuk Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal, chief executive officer of MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd, emphasised the conference's role in fostering constructive discussions on the latest rail industry developments, both locally and internationally.

  He said the conference provides an excellent platform to discuss recent announcements related to the KL-SG HSR project.

  "It is an opportunity for Malaysian rail stakeholders to learn from the experiences of other countries," he said.

  The conference, a collaboration with YTL Construction Bhd, brought together 13 influencer speakers from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Malaysia to exchange ideas and drive advancements for women working across the Malaysian rail system. 

  It also brought together more than 500 delegates, including participants from ASEAN as well as students from schools and universities.

  Among the topics covered during the conference was "Unlocking the Benefits of Malaysia's High-Speed Rail Project" by Mohd Nur Ismal.

  YTL Construction, a strong supporter of Women in Rail Malaysia, has played a key role in various rail projects in Malaysia. 

  The most recent is the construction of the 192-kilometre Gemas-JB EDTP.

  Datuk Sri Azmi Abdul Aziz, chief executive officer of YTL Construction (rail division), reiterated the company's commitment to gender diversity in the rail sector.

  "With 50 per cent of our Gemas-JB project staff being women, we walk the talk and are resolute in elevating female representation in this field even further," he said. 

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