Feasibility study for Trans-Borneo Railway to conclude in 2026
Published on: Thu, Aug 14, 2025 Text Size: KUALA LUMPUR: The feasibility study for the proposed Trans-Borneo Railway linking Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan, Indonesia, is scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2026, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook ( pic ) said, The Edge Malaysia reported on Thursday. In a written parliamentary reply to Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee, Loke said a local consultant had been appointed to carry out the 12-month study, which began in June 2025, focusing on the railway's potential in Sabah and Sarawak. He said the study would assess technical, commercial, socio-economic, operational, governance, and social benefit aspects, and provide a strategic plan, implementation schedule, action plan, and timeline, with input from all key stakeholders. Local media previously reported that RM7 million had been allocated for the study, fully funded by the federal government under the 12th Malaysia Plan, with Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya confirming its approval. First proposed in 2015 by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to then Indonesian president Joko Widodo, the project envisions a 1,600km network with trains running at up to 350km/h, though Loke has clarified that it remains at the proposal stage and has not been awarded to any company. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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