Penang's Mutiara Line LRT project on track and on schedule, says project owner

• Approval for advance works under Section 20A of Town and Country Planning Act 1976 was received on April 15, 2025, MRT Corp said in a Sunday statement. The company has also secured access to 86 plots of land to-date and the gazette of Section 8 under the Land Acquisition Act 1960, it noted.

KUALA LUMPUR (April 21): Penang’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) Mutiara Line remained on track and on schedule, said its asset owner and project developer MRT Corp.

Approval for advance works under Section 20A of Town and Country Planning Act 1976 was received on April 15, 2025, MRT Corp said in a Sunday statement. The company has also secured access to 86 plots of land to-date and the gazette of Section 8 under the Land Acquisition Act 1960, it noted.

“This progress, earlier than the targeted date of October 2025, forms a key milestone in keeping the project on track,” the company said.

The statement comes after Malaysiakini reported that MCA vice-president Tan Teik Cheng raised concerns that the project still waiting for the official notice to commence, despite a grand formal launch in January, and questioned the apparent absence of physical progress.

Malaysia has approved the allocation for the project that will cost an estimated RM13 billion. The Mutiara Line project consists of 21 stations, running from the reclaimed Silicon Island to Penang Sentral. 

Meanwhile, SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the appointed civil main contractor for package 1 of the project, has been working to fulfil several post-award conditions outlined in the contract, MRT Corp said.

“The official Notice to Proceed can only be issued to SRS once these conditions are satisfactorily met,” the agency stressed.

Once the Notice to Proceed has been issued, SRS will need to finalise designs and construction drawings for civil structure within the project scope.

“Another critical aspect of pre-construction work is the relocation of utilities, which must be completed before any station or viaduct related construction activity can take place,” MRT Corp added.

SRS is a joint venture in which Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) owns a 60% stake. Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd and Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd each own 20% of SRS.

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