By Sharifah Hunaini Syed Ismail
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The opening of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will soon bring great relief to East Coast Region residents, as this modern rail service can shorten the travel time between Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang to the Klang Valley compared to existing land transportation methods.
Despite costing tens of billions of ringgit to build, the government's priority remains the well-being of the people by setting competitive fares, with economy class from Gombak to Kota Bharu starting as low as RM125 one way.
A land journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu usually takes between seven and eight hours and can even reach up to 20 hours which is very tiring due to extraordinary congestion during the festive season and school holidays, the presence of the ECRL is now able to shorten the journey time to just four hours.
All the fatigue of travelling long distances by land has finally unravelled.
The presence of the ECRL not only opens a new and more pleasant chapter for the residents of the East Coast, but also offers a much more efficient, comfortable and practical transportation alternative.
ECRL the Alternative to Reduce Road Congestion
As a Kelantanese who hails from Pasir Mas, the prospect of travelling back to your hometown, from Gombak to Kota Bharu which only takes four hours, and the same duration for travelling from Kota Baharu to Gombak using the ECRL is highly anticipated, like ‘kecil tapak tangan, nyiru ditadahkan’ (accepting a gift with open arms).
The 665-kilometre (km) rail line connecting the East Coast and the Klang Valley (Selangor) is scheduled to start operating on Dec 12, reducing the stress of driving long distances which often involve traffic jams, thus offering comfort for the whole family.
This is because every year, travelling back to your hometown, especially during the festive season, is a challenging and sometimes torturous experience due to the increase in the number of vehicles which is many times the normal traffic.
For the record, two million vehicles were recorded entering Kelantan in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebration in March while almost one million vehicles were recorded entering Kelantan during the school holiday season using the Kuala Krai-Gua Musang, Jeli-Gerik, and Pasir Puteh-Kuala Terengganu routes.
Personal experience of being stranded for up to 16 hours in traffic jams starting from Karak to Kuala Krai prompted this writer to see rail travel as an alternative that our family has been eagerly awaiting.
It will also open up a new dimension to the national rail transport landscape as well as land interconnections.
Shorter Travel Time
Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak told Bernama recently that the ECRL Comprehensive Inspection Train (CIT) successfully completed the 519 km non-stop journey from Gombak to Kota Bharu in 3 hours and 19 minutes, at speeds of up to 160 kmph.
According to him, the justification for the fares takes into account the balance between the people's affordability and the value of the services offered as well as the sustainability of the long-term operation of the ECRL which costs RM50.27 billion and covers a 655 km line and involves 20 stations in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.
Currently, there are two stations in Kelantan, namely at Pasir Puteh and Bandar Baru Tunjong, however, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the government would extend the ECRL line to Rantau Panjang.
On the extension of the line, Darwis said the extension of the line from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang is about 30 km and it is expected to reuse the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) line of about 18 km from Pasir Mas to Rantau Panjang which has not been operating since 2005.
“This project will help facilitate the movement of cargo from southern Thailand to Malaysia, thus allowing us to explore the potential of extending the line,” he said.
Long-term Development Prospects for East Coast Region
On Nov 3, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced that the government had approved an allocation of over RM250 million to strengthen the development of the ECRL in Kelantan, including the construction of a new bus terminal at the Kota Bharu ECRL Station and preliminary works for the proposed extension of the line to Rantau Panjang.
According to the MoF, of the amount, RM30 million has been allocated for the construction of a new bus terminal at the Kota Bharu ECRL Station, while a further RM200 million has been provided for preliminary works for the proposed extension of the ECRL line from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang.
The investment is not only aimed at strengthening transportation infrastructure, but also provides opportunities for a more competitive economic development in Kelantan.
The development is expected to boost business activities, strengthen the logistics sector, attract investments and create job opportunities for the local people.
The latest development is good news that pleases the residents of the East Coast, especially the people of Kelantan who will receive the long-awaited development.
Boosting Synergy via Pan-Asian Rail Network
The long-term development plan can be seen from the statement by Transport Minister Anthony Loke (before his resignation) who explained that the project has the potential to connect the Malaysian rail network with the Thai rail network, thus creating greater synergy in the Pan-Asian rail network.
The rail network is expected to strengthen transport links across Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China and Central Asia.
At the same time, the rail network connected to the ports as planned, will form a land-sea corridor and the integration has the potential to create a more comprehensive transport network for Malaysia and the region, in addition to increasing economic value as well as strategic and national security interests.
ECRL is not just a change in transportation infrastructure, but it has the potential to be a catalyst for economic transformation of the East Coast states through increased connectivity, expanded trade networks, investment inflows and the opening of job opportunities for local residents.
It brings hope to change the economic landscape of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, by offering more efficient connections between the East Coast and the Klang Valley.
If previously, the mobility of residents commuting for work, education, business and family matters was more focused on land, whether by own vehicle, express bus service or using flights for those who want to shorten the time, now with the ECRL, there is another practical option, namely the rail route.
More efficient transportation facilities are not only important for passenger movements, but can also improve logistics and freight transportation capabilities, thus helping the business sector manage costs and expand market reach.
E-Loco Improves Development
According to Darwis, ECRL not only places emphasis on passenger services, but also prioritises its economic role through cargo transportation.
By connecting the East Coast with the Klang Valley and subsequently Port Klang, ECRL will provide an alternative logistics corridor for businesses transporting goods between production centres, industrial areas and international markets.
Its potential is huge for industries involving containerised cargo, manufacturing, petrochemicals, minerals and agricultural products.
ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Zaidi Sharif said during a briefing that the Electric Locomotive (E-Loco) cargo service has received encouraging requests from leading companies who want to reduce transportation costs as well as minimise their carbon footprint.
According to him, the operation of the E-Loco does not have a timetable but is based on the requests of companies that require cargo services that will operate at night.
Bernama previously reported a statement by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah at the Dewan Negara on July 22 regarding the ability of an ECRL cargo train to pull up to 45 carriages and be able to carry a 3,150 tonne load.
According to Hasbi, the large capacity far exceeds the capacity of a lorry which on average can only carry a maximum load of 40 tonnes per trip.
The ECRL cargo service has the potential to replace 79 lorries for each train trip, thus, it indirectly helps reduce road congestion and the risk of accidents involving heavy vehicles.
Attracting Interests of Major Industry Players
It has attracted the interest of major national industry players such as Petronas, which is looking to reduce its carbon footprint by using rail services, as well as national car manufacturer Perodua, which signed a memorandum of understanding with MRL in June 2024 to use ECRL services to transport finished vehicles and automotive components from their factory in Serendah to the East Coast.
In addition, MRL has partnered with Kuantan Port to strengthen the rail cargo transportation network between East Coast and West Coast ports.
In an effort to expand economic spillovers, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) together with related agencies are also actively promoting Economic Accelerator Projects (EAPs) along the ECRL corridor to attract new investments to industrial areas, logistics hubs and towns around the stations.
In July, Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah announced that the development of 21 EAPs along the ECRL alignment is projected to contribute a cumulative added value of between RM80 billion and RM90 billion to Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2047.
The ECRL track assets remain fully owned by the Malaysian government through MRL, which is under the Minister of Finance Incorporated, while its operations and maintenance are carried out through a joint venture company with a 50:50 holding between MRL and China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd.
Support and Active Participation of State Governments and Local Communities
Although the ECRL offers great development prospects, the success of the project as a catalyst for the East Coast Region's economy does not only depend on the readiness of the rail infrastructure, but rather, it requires policy coordination, development of the area around the stations, intermediary transport facilities, investment promotion and the active participation of the private sector and the local business community.
The state government also needs to ensure that local enterprises are ready to seize emerging opportunities, including through skills upgrading, technology adoption and strengthening business capacity.
More importantly, the resulting development needs to be inclusive so that the benefits are not only concentrated in the areas near the stations, but are also felt by communities in other districts.
The ECRL needs to be seen not just as a track connecting the East Coast states, but as a bridge to more balanced economic opportunities, social mobility and regional development.
-- BERNAMA
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