We are now seeing many huge announcements on a daily basis. Most of it is related to mega infarstructure projects in Malaysia. It started with the scrapping of HSR KL – SG. Reported here earlier. It’s not just the High Speed Rail KL – SG. The planned MRT Circle Line (MRT 3) has also been scrapped. Our Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced that the Government has decided to scrap the MRT 3 rail transit project for now. (At least he said it’s for now which meant that he is not saying that this is not necessary but more of ensuring the government’s finances are back on a stronger footing first. SST is said to be coming back in September 2018. Yes, the tax holiday is now confirmed. Everyone can buy, buy and buy without any tax for 3 months. An earlier article here: Effects from a zero GST for typical Malaysian households)
Dr.Mahathir said that Pakatan Harapan is reviewing all projects after taking over Putrajaya. The MRT 3 or MRT Circle Line was meant to be the 13th rail transit line and was initiated by the administration of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. This will be a fully automated and driverless rail system and is supposed to form the loop line of the Greater KL/Klang Valley Integrated Transit System. Sort of making trips even shorter instead of taking trains to many stations just to change to another line for example. The supposedly completion time was 2025. The MRT Circle Line would have covered additional hotspots surrounding Bandar Malaysia, Ampang, KL Ecocity, Bukit Kiara and Sentul. Here’s the report in TheStar on PM’s announcement.
I think it’s important that everyone understands that all these decisions are not light ones and the government has definitely had some numbers which we may not have access to before they decided. It’s best to wait till all the announcements have been done so that we have an overview of what’s really going to happen. Right now, there are also news that the ECRL’s announcement is next. Perhaps ECRL will continue because PH’s strategist, Liew Chin Tong actually proposed for some alignment changes instead of the current one. It will help to reduce the cost somewhat. Of course the next one is also the Rail Transit System for Iskandar? Not sure how all these would affect that because Singapore government has not been in the picture yet, formally. Happy following.
written on 30 May 2018
Next suggested article: MRT Line 3 (Circle MRT Line) study submission by end 2016
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