KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corp has appointed Datuk Zohari Sulaiman as the project director of the MRT Circle Line, the third line of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project.
MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said Zohari’s vast experience and knowledge in the rail industry would be an advantage for the project as it expands further into the third line without the role of Project Delivery Partner (PDP) this time.
“Zohari has been in the industry for more than 36 years. His extensive background in rolling stock engineering, maintenance, refurbishment, technical safety as well as his experience in the heavy rail and light rail operations would be vital as the MRT network further expands in Klang Valley,” he said in a statement.
Shahril said this vast experience was a great asset as the MRT Circle Line would be developed based on the turn-key project model and this would require MRT Corp to have direct supervision of the construction as well as safety of the project.
Previously, the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) Line and the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line were carried out by Project Delivery Partners directly supervising the construction of the elevated sections of the projects.
Prior to joining MRT Corp, Zohari was chief executive officer of Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
During his stint in Rapid Rail, Zohari had first-hand experience with the KVMRT Project as Rapid Rail was the operator of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line of which construction was completed in July 2017.
In Prasarana, Zohari had also held the position of CEO of Prasarana Rail and Infrastructure Projects Sdn Bhd (PRAISE), where he was responsible in the development of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Line Extension Project (LEP) for Ampang/ Sri Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya Line.
Prior to heading the division, he was the group director and chief executive officer of Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd.
Zohari began his career in the railway industry when he joined Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd in 1982.
In 1995, Zohari joined Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan Sdn Bhd (STAR-LRT) where he was part of the team that operated the first LRT system in Malaysia, now known as the Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines. At STAR-LRT, he implemented operations and engineering training.
A year later he joined Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik Sdn Bhd (PUTRA-LRT) where he became General Manager of Engineering. PUTRA-LRT was subsequently taken over by Prasarana in 2002 and was renamed the Kelana Jaya Line.
Zohari holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of John Moores, Liverpool, United Kingdom. He is a Professional Engineer registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia.
He currently holds various memberships in a number of organisations, namely Corporate Member of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia; Fellow of the Permanent Way Institution (UK) and Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics & Transport (M).