KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) is working on opening the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to the public by as early as mid-December, with testing and commissioning by its Comprehensive Inspection Train (CIT) going well, said MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.
He added that positive test results have given the company confidence to meet Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s challenge to open the rail service during the school holidays, ahead of its original January 2027 target.
The CIT, known as the “yellow doctors” due to its distinctive yellow stripes and role in detecting potential issues along the railway, began testing from Kuantan to Kota Bharu last month.
“We are now in the second phase from Kuantan to Gombak, and test results have been positive. We accept the government’s challenge to open it in December, and our efforts are focused towards that target,” he told reporters during a CIT trip from Gombak to Kuantan Port City today.
Darwis said the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) is complete, while 80 per cent of the System Integration Test (SIT) is done. The step-up speed test from Kuantan to Kota Bharu also had positive results.
Testing will continue, with the train to complete full runs between Kota Bharu and Gombak by the end of this month, before a Fault-Free Run (FFR) in October.
The special CIT journey for media practitioners from Gombak to Kuantan Port City took about 90 minutes, including passage through the 16.39km Genting Tunnel at an average speed of 160kph.
Darwis said MRL continues to work with the Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang governments towards the deadline, with project progress at 95.41 per cent as of August. Phase 1 progress is at 97.65 per cent.
On fares, he said no decision has been made, adding that a reasonable rate would be announced by the Transport Ministry.
Once operational, the ECRL is expected to cut travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak to about four hours, compared with around seven hours by road. Phase 2, linking Gombak to Port Klang, is expected to be completed by December 2027, with operations to start by January 2028.
Meanwhile, China Communications Construction Company ECRL Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) project director and senior adviser Kong Qi said more than 40 CIT test runs and 12 freight train tests have been completed, with positive results so far.
He said the SIT, which began August 21, covered 10 key areas including tunnels, bridges, subgrade and tracks, traction power supply, communications, passenger service information systems, electromagnetic compatibility, and integrated grounding.
“We test every curve and train stability. We found some parameters that needed adjustment, such as cornering, but they have been fixed. Up to now, everything is going smoothly,” he said.
Kong said the CIT has completed speed step-up testing of up to 176kph on the first section, with tests on the remaining section ongoing before the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and signalling tests, followed by the FFR.
The CIT is equipped with specialised inspection systems that allow engineers to evaluate track conditions, train performance and railway systems under conditions that closely simulate actual operations.
Its inspection covers track engineering, traction power supply, signalling and communication systems. The train collects data on track geometry, rail profile, wheel-rail interaction, vehicle dynamics, pantograph and catenary performance, as well as signalling and telecommunications, allowing potential issues to be identified and rectified during testing and commissioning.
