Transport minister: ECRL extension to Rantau Panjang still under study  

KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — The issue of extending the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to Rantau Panjang is still being studied and has been discussed by the government at the recent National Economic Action Council (MTEN) meeting, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said that while discussions have leaned towards the proposal to create a more strategic route, particularly with neighbouring Thailand, no decision has been made yet.

“We want to see if the ECRL can provide maximum returns to our country, so there have been discussions to explore other options, including extending it to the Thai border.

“What’s important is not just that the ECRL serves our country, but if it can be extended to the Thai border and connect with Malaysia... this would make the ECRL even more impactful,” he said to the media after attending the launch of WORQ Sunway Putra today

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The ECRL project involves four states namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, starting from Kota Baru to Port Klang, a route of 665 kilometres with 20 stations.

Previously, the media reported that the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, hoped that the ECRL project can be extended to Rantau Panjang to boost economic growth along the border and strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and Thailand. — Bernama

* An earlier version of this article contained an error by Bernama which has since been rectified.

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