MMSB Consult appointed for Penang LRT Mutiara Line project
The selection followed an open tender process and thorough evaluation.
The consultancy will oversee design review, construction, testing, commissioning, and operational phases to ensure compliance with project standards.
'This appointment reflects the Mutiara Line's growing momentum as the project transitions from preparatory stages into construction readiness,' MRT Corp stated.
Meanwhile, SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, awarded Civil Main Contract Package 1, has met key contractual conditions, leading to the issuance of a Notice to Proceed (NTP) on July 15.
Pre-construction activities, including soil investigation and environmental monitoring, are already underway.
'Work under Package 1 is set to accelerate,' MRT Corp added. Advance works, including utility relocation and piling, are scheduled to begin in August 2025, with large-scale civil construction expected in Q4 2026.
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Focus Malaysia
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Why build MRT stations near the rich when the rich don't use public transports?
MALAYSIAN property developers are an interesting group of people. They sell their homes before even starting the construction, resulting in a good number of abandoned homes. And recently, a netizen raises another interesting developer practice on the cyberspace which attracted the attention of the online community. According to @evoverebitda, Malaysia is a weird place because the MRT stations are usually conveniently located nearby to the rich enclave. He believes the rich will not be using public transport as they already have drivers, hence these conveniences are but a waste. Malaysia is so weird. All the housing near to MRT in the mid of KL are priced at RM4-12k. You think rich people use MRT to go buy groceries, go work? Most of my neighbours have their own drivers 😐😐😐 Why the rich people area are walkable to MRT but not for mid income people? — 爱薇 (@evoverebitda) August 2, 2025 His post has since turned into a hot bed for discussion, receiving over 8,400 reposts and 123 comments. @evoverebitda further added that his house is next to a restaurant and he could see all the Alphards lined up there as the rich people's drivers usually go there to eat. He said none of his neighbours use the MRT. However, @thishrocks said the expats still utilise the public transports while a sceptical @ucswcc stated that he was generalising all the housing although it only occurred in his area. On another note, @gooner_97 remarked that MRT stations have a way of jacking up the rental price of an apartment unit. @MalayBitcoiner further said that the MRT stations are there to increase the value of the properties bought by these rich people. The mystery begins to clear as we observe more of the comments: And this is why the rich become richer while the poor become poorer. If even the roofs above our heads and the built environment is rigged against us, how will the poor ever be able to escape their circumstances? —Aug 1, 2025 Main image: MRT Corp
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