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- An open tender for the second main civil works package (CMC2)—which covers the alignment from Macallum to Penang Sentral, including a bridge across the Penang Strait—will be launched soon.
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 28): The Ministry of Transport expects to appoint a contractor for the systems and rolling stock package of the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project by the end of this year, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
The tender process for the package is currently in the final stage of technical and financial evaluation.
An open tender for the second main civil works package (CMC2)—which covers the alignment from Macallum to Penang Sentral, including a bridge across the Penang Strait—will be launched soon, Loke said.
“This is expected to be finalised by mid-2026, with the overall project targeted for completion by December 2031,” he said in a parliamentary reply on Monday.
Loke was responding to questions from Khairil Nizam Khirudin (PN-Jerantut), who had inquired about the latest progress of the Penang LRT project, including the number of land lots to be acquired, estimated compensation and the timeline for physical works.
According to Loke, the Penang LRT project is progressing well and remains on schedule, with physical works already underway at several sites.
Land acquisition involving 270 lots is ongoing, with the Penang state government granting access to 103 state-owned lots to facilitate early works. The acquisition of private land will be finalised soon under the Land Acquisition Act 1960, Loke said. “However, compensation amounts have yet to be determined as the process is still ongoing,” he added.
The 29.5km Penang LRT—also known as the Mutiara Line—will feature 21 stations linking Penang Island and Seberang Perai.
Initially estimated at RM10 billion in 2016 for the Bayan Lepas alignment (from Silicon Island to Komtar), the project’s scope was expanded after the federal government took over and extended the line to Penang Sentral, increasing the total cost projection to RM13 billion in early 2024.
In January, the government awarded the first of three work packages—worth up to RM8.31 billion and covering a 24km stretch from Komtar to Island A of the Penang South Reclamation project, with 19 stations—to SRS Consortium. The consortium is led by Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) with a 60% stake, while Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd and Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd each hold 20%.
But following a value management exercise in April, the contract sum for this work package was reduced to RM7.93 billion.
Then in August, Loke told Parliament that the Penang LRT project’s budget ceiling had been revised to between RM16 billion and RM17 billion, though he said this figure does not represent the project’s final cost.
As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: PENANG Investing Towards 2030.
