The Transport Ministry is encouraging corporations to choose the upcoming East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) as their primary mode of transport for cargo, with incentives in place for early adopters.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said companies should plan ahead and start discussions with Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd, the project owner of the ECRL.
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Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said companies should plan ahead and start discussions with Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd, the project owner of the ECRL.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The ECRL project is progressing well and we are very confident that it will be completed
00:17on schedule and it will be operational for passenger starting 2027 and for cargo by 2028.
00:27Building the infrastructure is one key component of it but more importantly and my role as
00:33the Minister of Transport is to ensure how we can fully optimise the asset that we are
00:41building.
00:42This key national infrastructure project costs to the government a big sum of money which
00:48we have to pay in the future.
00:50Therefore, upon completion of this project, it is my role and the Ministry of Transport's
00:55role to ensure that the ECRL will not turn into a white elephant but be fully operational,
01:04fully optimised and fully used by our transportation sector.
01:10And our aim is to turn from road to rail.
01:16Our shift that must happen once the infrastructure is ready is that we must ensure more goods
01:24to be transported by rail instead of by road and we will ensure that heavy vehicles can
01:32be reduced on our roads.
01:34That is the aim.
01:36Why do we need this aim?
01:38Because we need this aim to achieve a public goal.
01:42Our public goal is to ensure that our roads are safer.
01:47By reducing commercial vehicles from the roads, we think that we can make our roads safer
01:53and our people safe from accidents.
01:57This is a public goal that we must achieve as a government.
02:01Therefore, as policy maker and regulator, I am a firm believer in the carrot and stick approach.
02:09Right now, we are enticing you with carrots.
02:14Big corporations like Produa, you are smart because you are the first mover and you have
02:20the first mover advantage.
02:22I am sure you will have a lot of incentives and benefits by moving this today.
02:27That's why we are giving you a lot of carrots.
02:35But let me tell the industries out there and big corporations out there, I want to make
02:41myself very clear, the moment the infrastructure is there, the stick will come if you are not
02:49adopting this.
02:51As I am in charge, I can assure you, the stick will be very big.
02:57Because this is an important role that I must play.
03:01Because we must achieve a public goal.
03:04Why our roads are dangerous, accidents are high, especially in the East Coast region,
03:12especially when you travel along the Karak Highway.
03:15Every time there is a breakdown of commercial vehicles, every time there is an accident
03:19of commercial vehicles, the entire Karak Highway is jammed up.
03:23That's why it's very, very important that we must make this shift to happen, from road
03:28to rail.
03:30So the stick will come, but we want to entice you with your carrots first.
03:36That's why I hope MRL must act as a business-friendly entity, must reach out to more corporations,
03:46more industries, and I hope more heavy industries can look forward and come forward to plan
03:53your logistical shift much early.
03:56And together to boost our motor opportunity to design airplanes.
04:01Mr. Sri, as you said, you are going to Sabah-Sarawak with this link.
04:05Will it increase the economy to Sabah?
04:09First of all, of course, in terms of operating costs, it can be reduced.
04:14Because when, for example, this Pro-2, they use rail to reach Kuantan Airport.
04:21If from Kuantan Airport to go to Sabah-Sarawak, the distance is closer, compared to Poklang.
04:26So of course, the cost of lifting it is cheaper, because the shipping distance is closer.
04:37This helps in terms of reducing costs.
04:41And secondly, with the existence of this transportation circle, it can provide a larger trade exchange
04:49between the islands and Sabah-Sarawak.
04:51It also facilitates the movement of cargo.
04:53That's the most important thing.
04:54Because when the movement of cargo is facilitated, economic development, economic growth can take place.
05:00More investment can be brought into Sabah and Sarawak.