New bus network to link to USJ 6 LRT and KTMB stations

BANDAR Sunway and Subang Jaya residents can look forward to a better transport system with the launch of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) network connecting the USJ 6 LRT and KTMB stations. The USJ LRT line, which is an extention of the Kelana Jaya LRT line, and BRT will be completed in 2014.

Prasarana Group chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam said the BRT network would be connected to the USJ 6 LRT station and KTMB Setia Jaya station near the Federal Highway. “Construction work on the BRT lanes passing through more than 6km with stops at strategic places will begin in the second quarter of 2013,” he said. Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah said the BRT would be an effective transport system with seamless connectivity to ease the burden of the community. However, the total cost of the proposed project by Prasarana and Sunway Group is still being worked out.

It is expected to create a positive spillover effects to the country’s construction and transportation sectors. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched the maiden BRT-Sunway Line project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative between Prasarana and Sunway Berhad at the Sunway Monash Residence last Saturday. “The public transport system in the Klang Valley had improved greatly and this project is aimed at improving the network. “I hope Prasarana will continue to further enhance its services so that Malaysia will be famous for its superior urban public transport system,” Cheah added.


The project is seen as the best solution to address the traffic congestion in Bandar Sunway and Subang Jaya, which had about 500,000 residents and students from higher learning institutions like Monash University, Sunway University and Taylor’s University in the area. The buses will operate on designated lanes which can be elevated depending on the needs of the area. Prasarana representative also said there would be new buses for the line but could not confirm the number of additional buses.

By JAROD LIM
metro@thestar.com.my | Jun 13, 2012

Gamuda confirms CRCC offer for Gemas-JB rail job

KUALA LUMPUR: Gamuda Bhd said it had been invited by China Railway Construction Co (CRCC) earlier on to be one of its local construction partners for the upgrading of the Gemas-Johor Baru railway line to an electrified double-tracking track.

Confirming a StarBiz report yesterday, a Gamuda spokesperson toldStarBiz that it believed it had been chosen to be part of the consortium as it had a proven track record and expertise from the Ipoh-Padang Besar electrified double-tracking project.

StarBiz had reported on Tuesday that Gamuda had been roped in to be part of a group which is the front-runner for the construction of the Gemas-Johor Baru line.

A source had told StarBiz that the Malaysian construction company was in a consortium with CRCC and another local party linked to the Johor royal family and that this group was presently the front-runner for the RM8bil rail upgrading project.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/11/business/10239226&sec=business

MMC wants to buy railway, inject RM1bil into it

The Star 20/12/2011

PETALING JAYA: MMC Corp Bhd confirmed that it had submitted a proposal to the Minister of Finance Inc (MOF) to undertake a due diligence exercise on KTM Bhd (KTMB) for the purpose of taking over the operations of KTMB.

It said this in a reply to a query by Bursa Malaysia yesterday due to a news report on the subject.

“MOF, vide its letter dated Dec 1, had given its approval for MMC to conduct the said due diligence subject to the signing of a non-disclosure agreement between the parties.

“We will make the appropriate announcement to Bursa Malaysia in accordance with the requirements of the Main Market listing requirements if there are any material developments in this respect,” said MMC.

MMC said yesterday it had embarked on an exercise to take over the loss-making national railway company and planned to inject about RM1bil into KTMB.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/12/20/business/10125375&sec=business

KL-Ipoh electric train to run soon

The Star 21-070210 By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU
Delay in services should not be repeated for remaining portions of rail project

PETALING JAYA: The RM6bil Ipoh-Rawang rail track, which was completed in 2007, is set to see its maiden electric train service to Kuala Lumpur soon.

However, critics have warned against any delay in kicking off operations along the rest of the electrified rail artery in Peninsular Malaysia once construction is completed by the end of 2013.
They said electric train sets (ETS) should be ready for deployment once the Ipoh-Padang Besar stretch is completed by 2013 and the link between Gemas and Johor Baru expected to be ready around the same time, so that billions of ringgit of infrastructure funded by taxpayers did not lay idle and under-utilised.

The embarrassing delay in the start of the new train services along the upgraded Ipoh-Seremban stretch was the result of improper planning but this should not occur again once the remaining double-tracking project in the peninsula is completed. A source said money for new ETS had been allocated under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) and their construction would take about two years.“The lesson from that mistake has been learnt,” he said, referring to the late utilisation of the completed Ipoh-Seremban track. Given that it takes 24 months for the ETS to be built, orders would theoretically go out by the end of next year for the trains to be used on the electrified double tracks once built in three years.

Currently, the MMC Corp Bhd-Gamuda Bhd consortium is upgrading the 329km Ipoh-Padang Besar stretch for RM12.5bil. The RM3.45bil Seremban-Gemas electrified double-tracking project was awarded to Ircon International Ltd and is scheduled for completion in 2012.

The RM8bil Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double-tracking project has been slotted for award under the 10MP.

The understanding is that the project for the Gemas-Johor Baru route, which could be awarded soon, would be completed by 2013. The value of the ETS order should be large, considering that many train sets would be needed to ply along the spine of the peninsula once all three components of the electrified double-tracking project are completed.

Reports indicated that KTM Bhd (KTMB) is set to launch a rail service using ETS soon which would cut the current travel time from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur to two hours. That service, which is now due to start 2½ years after the electrified tracks were completed, would be extended to Seremban. KTMB was reported to have ordered five six-car ETS for RM250mil in 2007 to service the 300km route between Ipoh and Seremban. The travel time would be reduced by an hour and the ETS can carry 350 passengers, which is 100 more than the current trains do.

KTMB could not be reached for comment.

Tenders to extend RapidKL LRT may be out in Q1

Tenders to extend RapidKL LRT may be out in Q1
By Sharen Kaur
Published: 2008/12/22

Key players like UEM Builders, IJM Corp, YTL Corp, Ho Hup Holdings, and Loh & Loh Construction are expected to bid

SYARIKAT Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB), a unit of the Ministry of Finance Inc, may call for tenders to extend the RapidKL Light Rail Transit (LRT) system by as early as the first quarter of next year. The LRT covers two lines, namely the Ampang Line (previously, Star LRT) and Kelana Jaya Line (formerly Putra LRT). The assets are own ed by SPNB.

The tenders, worth over RM1 billion, is for
track and civil works,
fare collection, and
systems work involving
power supply,
signaling and
communication, industry players said.

Under the plan, the Ampang line will be extended from Bukit Jalil to Puchong, heading towards Subang Jaya, and linking up to the Kelana Jaya line.

The extension will involve
32km of double track and
around 24 new stations, a source said.

Currently, the Ampang Line runs from Ampang to the city centre, and then from Sentul Timur towards the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, while the Kelana Jaya Line starts from Terminal Putra Gombak up until Kelana Jaya."The extension will allow for a more complete integrated rail network.

The project may be government-funded or implemented through private finance initiatives," the source added.

Key players like UEM Builders Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd, YTL Corp Bhd, Ho Hup Holdings Bhd, and Loh & Loh Construction Bhd are expected to bid.

It is learned that low-profile railway engineering firm Global Rail Sdn Bhd will make submissions for the systems work, in collaboration with its foreign technology partners. It is eyeing a portion which is worth RM80 million.

The government is also expected to pump prime part of the RM500 million allocation under the RM7 billion economic stimulus package announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on November 4, to kick-start the project.The allocation will also cover KTM Bhd's requirement for new three-car electronic multiple unit sets to cater for the Klang Valley. KTMB has 60 sets now, but only half can be used. It needs 112 sets."Tenders for the train sets are under evaluation as the government is looking at an option to lease the trains to reduce its capital investment on the assets," the source said.The tenders or lease options will attract manufacturers from Korea, China, Japan and Europe.

It's a govt mandate: Fajarbaru

It's a govt mandate: Fajarbaru
Business Times
Published: 2008/06/12

ESTABLISHED companies are partnering smaller firms to build parts of a RM3.45 billion rail contract because of a government mandate.This was explained by Datuk Low Keng Kok, managing director of Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd. Fajarbaru is one of the companies that won a slice of the rail job.About three large companies have won contracts under a project to lay parallel railway tracks between Seremban and Gemas in Negri Sembilan.However, IJM Corp Bhd, Fajarbaru and Loh & Loh Corp Bhd had to partner smaller firms. IJM, for instance, won a RM490 million job but had to share 30 per cent of the work with Norwest Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Fajarbaru is partnering LTP Development Sdn Bhd, a Class A contractor, Low said. The contract is worth RM316 million."The federal government mandates that at least 30 per cent of the double tracking of railway packages go to Bumiputera contractors," he said.

IJM Construction, Norwest bag job

IJM Construction, Norwest bag job
Business Times
Published: 2008/05/24
IJM Corp Bhd's unit, IJM Construction Sdn Bhd and its partner Norwest Holdings Sdn Bhd won a RM490.1 million contract under the Seremban-Gemas double tracking project. The job, awarded by main contractor Ircon International Ltd of India, is for the construction, commissioning and maintenance of infrastructure work. IJM, which holds 70 per cent in the joint venture while the rest is held by Norwest, will do works from KM461.23 to KM500.40. Construction period is 21 months.