Latest news with #MutiaraLineLRT
Malay Mail
17-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Penang's Mutiara LRT Line kicks off with road widening, utility works planned at multiple locations
GEORGE TOWN, July 17 — Construction works on the Mutiara Line LRT project here are set to begin following the issuance of a notice to commence work. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the notice was issued on July 15 by MRT Corporation (MRTC) to the main civil contractor, SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd. 'With this, the construction process will begin as planned, including utility relocation, road widening, piling works, and site establishment at all locations along the Mutiara Line alignment that have obtained approval from the relevant authorities,' he said in a statement today. He said the state is now awaiting the tender results for the appointment of a turnkey contractor for the CMC2 package, which covers the stretch from Macallum to Penang Sentral, as well as the rail systems package for the Mutiara Line. Chow added that there have been several key developments in the project, including the groundbreaking ceremony, the appointment of SRS as the main civil contractor for the CMC1 package in January, and the issuance of the Notice to Proceed to SRS. 'The state will be announcing the setting up of a strategic communication platform and feedback channel for all ongoing and upcoming mega projects to allow the public to access information and for further engagement,' he said. He called on all parties, especially the public, to give their full cooperation throughout the implementation of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2031.
New Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Penang's Mutiara Line LRT gets the go-ahead as construction looms
GEORGE TOWN: The Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project has entered a crucial phase following the fulfilment of contract effectiveness conditions last month, paving the way for the issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP). Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim said the NTP was granted to Gamuda Bhd on Tuesday after the project met specific implementation prerequisites, setting in motion a structured timeline for upcoming construction milestones. He said several preliminary activities had already commenced prior to the issuance of the NTP, including soil investigation, pile testing, pre-construction condition surveys, and instrumentation and environmental monitoring along selected points of the alignment. "These preparatory works are vital to ensure the project progresses safely and efficiently once full-scale construction begins," he told the New Straits Times today. The first segment of the Mutiara Line LRT project has been awarded to the SRS Consortium, a joint venture comprising Gamuda Bhd (60 per cent), Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd (20 per cent), and Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd (20 per cent). The project is scheduled for completion within six years from the issuance of the NTP. With the NTP in place, Mohd Zarif said that the project remained on schedule to begin advance works by next month. These works will involve utility relocation, piling, and site establishment — laying the foundation for more extensive construction activities. "Full-scale civil works are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of next year, marking the next major phase of the project's timeline," he said. Previously, Mohd Zarif said that large-scale construction was projected to begin in the latter part of next year. He said that infrastructure projects of this nature typically followed an S-curve development model, with initial phases progressing gradually before gaining momentum. "So, projects like this follow an S-curve. It's not an immediate spike. You'll see slow progress at the beginning, and I would say the upward slope of the S-curve will start to emerge after 2027 or 2028," he was quoted as saying. On Jan 10, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officiated the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mutiara Line LRT project, marking the beginning of a transformative new chapter in the state's public transport infrastructure. It was recently reported that Econpile Holdings Bhd's wholly owned subsidiary, Econpile (M) Sdn Bhd, secured a RM42.82 million contract from Irama Duta Sdn Bhd to carry out bored piling and related construction works as part of the LRT project. The 29.5km Mutiara Line LRT will feature 21 strategically located stations and is designed to enhance connectivity between Penang Island and the mainland — reducing road congestion and improving accessibility. The main route will run from Penang Silicon Island to Penang Sentral and the Komtar station in George Town, with train services set to operate alternately along the line.
New Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Still no green light for LRT construction work in Penang
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is still awaiting the Notice to Proceed or official notice to commence physical work on the Mutiara Line light rail transit project. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said, although the official notice from the Transport Ministry has yet to be issued, several preliminary works had already been carried out on site, including soil investigations, land acquisition and compensation negotiations with the involved landowners. "The official notice is important to enable full-scale physical construction works according to the planned schedule and plans. "At the moment, we are still waiting for official instructions from the ministry and MRT Corp," he said after officiating the Penang Transport Day 2025 here today. The 29.5km Mutiara Line LRT includes 21 strategic stations and designed to enhance connectivity between Penang island and the mainland, thereby reducing road congestion and improving accessibility. The main route plan covers the route from Penang Silicon Island to Penang Sentral and the Komtar station in George Town, with train services scheduled to operate alternately along the route. Chow said the state government has fulfilled its responsibilities by fully handing over the roles related to the LRT project to MRT Corp and releasing SRS Consortium from its previous role as the party that applied for the LRT implementation before. "The state government's relationship with SRS is now within the context of the other Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) projects, but for the LRT project, it has been taken over by MRT. "So now the main responsibility lies with the federal government to issue the notice," he added. Asked on the expected date for the issuance of the Notice to Proceed, Chow said the preliminary information received earlier stated it would be issued within a month or two. "Last month, I mentioned one or two months, so the second month is this month. Hopefully, it will really be issued this month," he said. Meanwhile, Chow said, as experienced in the LRT construction project in Kuala Lumpur, it was important for contractors to ensure that any road space taken in the course of construction, is replaced with road widening on the shoulders or side areas to maintain the existing number of lanes. "In Bandar Baru Air Itam, for example, the area used for road construction was replaced by taking land on the sides to ensure the two-lane route remains functional," he said. He added that, currently, the state government has no plans to impose any congestion charges because the priority now is to ensure smooth project implementation and traffic management throughout the construction period.
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Penang urged to shift from low-cost model to innovation for global edge
GEORGE TOWN: Penang must move beyond its reliance on low-cost manufacturing and adopt a strategy focused on innovation, high-value creation, and local enterprise development to maintain its global competitiveness, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong. Speaking at the iNPenang International Awards 2025 held on June 21, Sim emphasised that while the low-cost model had positioned Penang as a manufacturing powerhouse over the past decades, the state must now evolve under its next phase, dubbed Penang 3.0. 'If Penang 2.0 was about global companies coming to Penang to make their products here, Penang 3.0 must be about supporting our own start-ups towards higher value creation,' Sim said in a statement released today. The Penang 3.0 vision seeks to transform the state from a manufacturing hub into a centre of innovation, technology, and high-value production, powered by local talent and businesses. Sim highlighted the need to cultivate homegrown capabilities in four key areas—talents, tech, things, and trademarks—to shift from 'Made in Penang' to 'Made by Penang' over the next 50 years. He also commended the Penang state government, led by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, for driving major infrastructure projects such as the expansion of Penang International Airport and the Mutiara Line LRT, which are set to boost the state's economic prospects. Sim expressed confidence that with the right policies and incentives, Penang could sustain its reputation as a high-quality global brand.
The Star
11-06-2025
- The Star
Loke: LRT project in Penang to start within two months
GEORGE TOWN: With outstanding issues concerning the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project now resolved, physical construction is set to begin within the next two months, says Anthony Loke. The Transport Minister said the resolved matters included the issuance of consent letters from the state government and other technical issues that had previously delayed the project's implementation. He said the project's main contractor has already awarded preliminary works to sub-contractors in preparation for on-site activities. 'I personally chaired a meeting with the Penang Chief Minister last month and resolved all issues related to the project. 'We can expect physical works to begin within one or two months,' he told reporters after inspecting the Rapid Penang On-Demand (ROD) service yesterday. The 29.5km Mutiara Line LRT project, which includes 21 stations, aims to improve connectivity between the island and the mainland, while also reducing road congestion and enhancing accessibility. On the ROD service, Loke said it has been operating with 50 vans, covering 13 zones in Penang (seven on the island and the rest on the mainland) since its introduction in August last year. He said the average number of daily passengers on weekdays has shown an increase since the addition of zones in March this year. 'An average of 492 passengers per day was recorded in March compared to 159 passengers in February. 'In May, the average daily ridership exceeded the target of 1,944. 'The figure has contributed 4.1% of the total daily average of 47,000 passengers using Rapid Penang services,' he said. Loke also said the Gurney-Tanjong Bungah route is currently the most popular with 522 passengers daily.
