News about ECRL

The suspects, aged between 29- and 45-years-old, six are believed to be involved in stealing the national project's cables, while the other two were believed to be workers and owners of a scrap metal shop who purchased the components.

Temerloh police chief ACP Mazlan Hassan said the two suspects, aged 34 and 41, were detained aby a team from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Temerloh district police headquarters.

China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) said that 1,080m of cables were stolen along the Temerloh-Lanchang stretch, while 599m went missing along the Lanchang-Bentong alignment, within a period of two weeks.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: The area from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang, especially Rantau Panjang, is a bit underdeveloped.

“All these efforts are to ensure that the ECRL not only facilitates movement, but also generates job opportunities and improves the people’s standard of living.

Anthony Loke said this comes as the ECRL uses the standard gauge track, which is wider, while Thailand’s State Railway (SRT) operates on a metre gauge, creating a mismatch or a lack of alignment between the two systems.

MRL chairman Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said Phase 1 of the 665km railway, which spans from Kota Bharu to the Gombak Integrated Terminal, is expected to be completed by December 2026 and commence operations in January 2027, while Phase 2, which continues from Gombak to Port Klang, is targeted for completion in December 2027, with full operations beginning in January 2028.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak: We are not just stopping at Jalan Kastam but are reaching the two ports (Northport and Westports).

Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said the proposal is seen as relevant, as the Malaysian and Thai governments have agreed to revive the existing railway line between Pasir Mas and Sungai Golok under Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB), to reconnect the railway network between the two countries.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said the arrival is intended to support commissioning tests for both passenger and freight train operations, scheduled to begin in June 2026.