Latest news with #EMU
Barnama
20 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
ECRL Project On Track To Reach 90 Pct Completion By December
KUANTAN, May 30 (Bernama) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is progressing on schedule and is expected to be 90 per cent completed by December this year. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said that as of April, overall construction stood at 82.45 per cent, with segmental breakdowns showing 84.96 per cent in Pahang, 91 per cent in Terengganu, 86 per cent in Kelantan and 67 per cent in Selangor. 'These figures reflect strong progress toward full project completion by December 2026, with operations slated to begin in 2027 from Kota Bharu to Gombak,' he told reporters at the ECRL Communication, Information and Signalling (CIS) System First Article Assessment event here today. Also present was China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd managing director, Deng Bo. Darwis added that the CIS system at 15 stations along the first stretch from Kota Bharu to Gombak is targeted for completion by year-end or by the first quarter of 2026 at the latest, while the Gombak to Port Klang segment is scheduled for completion by December 2027. 'We have been able to complete the CIS system at a single station within 40 days. The ongoing work at the 15 stations is to ensure we are ready for testing and commissioning by June 2026,' he said, adding that two Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains are expected to arrive in Malaysia by the end of this year. When asked about ticket pricing, he said it would be determined by the Ministry of Transport in consultation with the Land Public Transport Agency and other relevant authorities. 'As a guiding principle, the Transport Minister (Anthony Loke) has emphasised that fares must be affordable for the public,' he added. Meanwhile, he reported that excavation work on the 16.39-kilometre Genting Twin Tunnel is nearing completion, with only 200 metres remaining.
New Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
ECRL on track: 90pct completion expected by year-end
KUANTAN: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which stretches across Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor, is expected to achieve 90 per cent overall completion by year-end. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said the 665km mega rail infrastructure project had recorded an overall progress of 82.45 per cent as of April. "Progress currently stands at 89 per cent in Kelantan, 91 per cent in Terengganu, 84 per cent in Pahang, and 67 per cent in Selangor. These figures reflect that the project is on course for full completion by December next year. "Given the current scope of work, along with strong commitment and support from the participating states, we are confident of reaching the 90 per cent milestone by year-end. "The key takeaway is that all components of the project are advancing steadily and in parallel. We aim to commence the testing and commissioning phase on June 1 next year," he told reporters at the ECRL KotaSAS Station here today. Darwis was speaking during the first-article assessment ceremony, which marked the successful installation of the communication, information and signalling (CIS) systems at the KotaSAS station. The KotaSAS station is the first among the 20 ECRL stations along the alignment to complete the CIS systems installation. Describing the milestone as a major achievement for the ECRL's engineering development, Darwis said the project's systems work fell under Section 14, which covers critical rail technologies. "A first-article assessment, also known as a first-article inspection, represents a pivotal stage in the lifecycle of a major railway infrastructure project. "Today's milestone marks the culmination of years of collaboration between MRL and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), encompassing detailed engineering design, construction supervision, and project management," he added. The CIS systems, developed to meet international safety and performance standards, are a core component of the ECRL's engineering backbone. They are essential to ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable railway operations, covering automatic train protection, traffic control, and real-time passenger information. Meanwhile, Darwis said two sets of six-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains for passenger service, along with two Electric Locomotive (E-Loco) units for freight, were expected to arrive in Malaysia by the end of this year. In February, he said that all 11 six-car EMU train sets and 12 E-Loco units would be fully delivered by June 2026. The ECRL, which links Kota Baru to the Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal, is slated to commence operations in January 2027. The extension from Gombak to Port Klang is scheduled to begin service by January 2028.
The Sun
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
ECRL project on track to reach 90% completion by December
KUANTAN: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is progressing on schedule and is expected to be 90 percent completed by December this year. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said that as of April, overall construction stood at 82.45 percent, with segmental breakdowns showing 84.96 percent in Pahang, 91 percent in Terengganu, 86 percent in Kelantan and 67 percent in Selangor. 'These figures reflect strong progress toward full project completion by December 2026, with operations slated to begin in 2027 from Kota Bharu to Gombak,' he told reporters at the ECRL Communication, Information and Signalling (CIS) System First Article Assessment event here today. Also present was China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd managing director, Deng Bo. Darwis added that the CIS system at 15 stations along the first stretch from Kota Bharu to Gombak is targeted for completion by year-end or by the first quarter of 2026 at the latest, while the Gombak to Port Klang segment is scheduled for completion by December 2027. 'We have been able to complete the CIS system at a single station within 40 days. The ongoing work at the 15 stations is to ensure we are ready for testing and commissioning by June 2026,' he said, adding that two Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains are expected to arrive in Malaysia by the end of this year. When asked about ticket pricing, he said it would be determined by the Ministry of Transport in consultation with the Land Public Transport Agency and other relevant authorities. 'As a guiding principle, the Transport Minister (Anthony Loke) has emphasised that fares must be affordable for the public,' he added. Meanwhile, he reported that excavation work on the 16.39-kilometre Genting Twin Tunnel is nearing completion, with only 200 metres remaining. The tunnelling is expected to be fully completed by June this year.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
KotaSAS station becomes first ECRL stop to complete system installation
KUANTAN: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), the nation's mega rail project, is set to enter a new chapter tomorrow (May 30) with the completion of system installation works at the KotaSas central station here. KotaSAS station is the first along the 665km alignment, which comprises 20 stations, to reach this significant milestone. Notably, the station was also the site of the project's groundbreaking ceremony on Aug 9, 2017, which was officiated by then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. In a media invitation, China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCC-ECRL), the project's engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor, described tomorrow's event as the project's first article assessment ceremony for its communication, information and signalling systems. "It marks the successful completion of communication, information and signalling systems at the ECRL KotaSas station for the operation of passenger and cargo trains. "These systems serve as the 'brain and central nervous system' of the ECRL project, playing a vital role in ensuring safe and efficient train operations," the statement said. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak and CCC-ECRL managing director Deng Bo are expected to attend the event. The communication, signalling and telecommunications systems are among three critical components required to prepare the ECRL stations for testing and commissioning, scheduled for June next year. Construction began in May last year. The first six-car ECRL Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train for passengers and the first Electric Locomotive (E-Loco) unit for freight are expected to arrive in Malaysia by year-end. The ECRL project, which traverses Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, linking Kota Baru to the Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal, is slated to begin operations in January 2027. Its extension from Gombak to Port Klang is expected to be operational by January 2028. On May 6, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said construction of the ECRL had reached an overall progress of 82.45 per cent.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Eastern Michigan ending partnerships with two Chinese universities after security concerns from Congress
Eastern Michigan University said Wednesday it is severing partnerships with two Chinese universities after concerns from Congress. The university, located in Ypsilanti, said it received a letter in February from U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg and John Moolenaar, urging EMU to cut engineering teaching partnerships with Beibu Gulf University and Guangxi University. The congressmen claimed the partnerships present a national security risk. "The PRC (People's Republic of China) systematically exploits the open research environment in the United States, actively engaging in theft, espionage, and other hostile actions against U.S. universities perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," the congressmen said in the letter. EMU said it provided Moolenaar and Wahlberg with plans to terminate the partnerships. In a statement on Wednesday, EMU President James Smith said: "EMU takes seriously the importance of protecting U.S. national security. We are proud of our longstanding designation by the U.S. National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense education. EMU fully complies with U.S. foreign disclosure requirements. "Neither the BGU nor the GU partnership involves any research or technology transfer. These are exclusively teaching programs that do not teach cyber security. The course content for all offered classes is widely available in the public domain." Smith added, "EMU's teaching partnership with GU does not currently enroll any students and we are working with our partner to dissolve the program. After careful review, we have also elected to terminate our teaching partnership with BGU. We are working with BGU to ensure that the students who are currently enrolled in the program are able to complete their academic studies in an orderly manner." The congressmen also sent a letter to Oakland University and the University of Detroit Mercy to end programs with Chinese universities. CBS News Detroit contacted Oakland University. A Detroit Mercy spokesperson said they have "nothing to announce at this point." In January, the University of Michigan announced it was ending a program with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley, also said they were terminating their partnerships in China. In the letter to EMU, Walberg and Moolenaar also pointed to the specific partnership with Beibu Gulf University and the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, in which faculty spend a year in the People's Republic of China for research. The lawmakers claimed the arrangement "effectively transfers U.S. national security resources and expertise to an adversary nation, directly contradicting the intended purpose of EMU's federal cybersecurity funding." They also pointed to the university hiring Yifei Chu, who was previously charged with making false statements to obtain a security clearance for work within the United States Embassy in Singapore. Chu pleaded guilty in 2023. "This raises serious concerns about EMU's vetting procedures and the potential for the transfer of dangerous technology that could be used against the United States by the PRC," the congressmen said.
