Kuala lumpur: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) has signed the supplementary agreement 7 (SA7) with the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project contractor for the connection from the last station at Jalan Kastam, Port Klang, to Westports and Northport (Section D).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak announced that the company has formalized the SA7 with China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC). This agreement marks CCCC as the primary contractor responsible for implementing Section D and completing the infrastructure project.
Darwis highlighted that SA7 encompasses a 25-kilometre track extending from Jalan Kastam in Port Klang to Northport and Westports. The project will involve the simultaneous construction of meter gauge and standard gauge tracks, aligning with the existing meter gauge under Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd, and creating a dual-gauge track to facilitate connectivity to the ports.
The CEO emphasized the strategic importance of Section D in completing the extensive rail network running from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to Port Klang, Selangor. He noted that the expansion aims to establish effective land bridge connectivity between Kuantan Port and Port Klang, reinforcing regional trade routes.
Reflecting on the broader scope, the SA7 is integrated into the engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning contract initially signed in November 2016. The supplementary agreement was publicly announced by Transport Minister Anthony Loke in April of the current year.
In related developments, RHB Bank chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir discussed MRL’s pioneering role as the first government-linked company in Malaysia to implement a sustainable financial value chain transition roadmap. This initiative involves channeling proceeds from its green sukuk issuance into RHB ESG deposits, promoting national decarbonization within a transparent financial framework.
Ahmad Badri outlined that RHB ESG deposits are earmarked for projects that align with national priorities, including renewable energy, clean transportation, low-carbon infrastructure, and social inclusion. These financing activities adhere to guidelines from RHB’s ESG business activity standards, Bank Negara Malaysia’s taxonomy, and the ASEAN taxonomy for sustainable finance.
Earlier in the year, MRL achieved a significant milestone by issuing its green SDG sukuk, which set a national record for the lowest credit spread on a government-guaranteed infrastructure issuance in Malaysia, underscoring robust investor confidence in both MRL and the ECRL project.