ECRL project owner to decide on station in Nilai - Loke

PUTRAJAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project owner Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) will determine whether an ECRL station can be built in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

He said he proposed in the State Legislative Assembly yesterday that an ECRL station be located in Nilai in his capacity as the state assemblyman for Chennah and MP for Seremban and not as the transport minister.

He said he made the proposal because he felt that the ECRL should be maximised for economic growth along its alignment.

“Nilai is also an industrial area. The development of the Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0 requires a good transportation system and network,” he told a media conference at his ministry here today.

Loke said that to integrate the ECRL with the existing railway track, his proposal is relevant because there is already a KTM Komuter station in Nilai.

He also said that he was not involved in the discussion when the new ECRL alignment was proposed to the government.

“I will not influence the decision (on the proposed station in Nilai). I will raise the matter but the final decision rests with MRL,” he said.

The renegotiated ECRL project costs RM44 billion, down by RM21.5 billion from the original RM65.5 billion, and the new alignment of 640 kilometres runs through Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Putrajaya.

On another matter, Loke said the ministry is still in talks with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) on reducing the passenger service charge (PSC) collected by MAHB.

Asked on the timeline, Loke said: “We cannot set a timeline because it involves a lot of implications. We have an operating agreement with MAHB, that is why we are tied up and any change will involve financial implication.

“So, that is why we are still discussing and we will look at ways of how to implement this and to help in terms of bringing down the PSC," he said. 

-- BERNAMA