KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), which allows the latter to leverage East Coast Rail Link's (ECRL) freight transportation services to transport Perodua cars and spare parts beginning 2027.
MRL chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said upon ECRL's operationalisation in January 2027, MRL has set its target objective to devise and provide efficient and reliable transportation solutions tailored to Perodua's needs, potentially reducing logistics costs through a more efficient transportation system.
MRL is the project owner of the 665-kilometre (km) ECRL, which will traverse the East Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang before linking the Klang Valley on the West Coast.
"ECRL will pioneer the transportation of Perodua vehicles by rail to the East Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, aligning with Perodua's commitment to modernising its logistics through more efficient and green rail transportation," he said in his speech following the MoU signing and exchange ceremony between Perodua and MRL.
The ceremony was witnessed by Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the company will capitalise on ECRL to transport its cars from its plant in Serendah, Selangor to the East Coast, Sabah, and Sarawak.
"We will start with Perodua cars and then move on to spare parts, which are mostly spare parts from Japan, and by utilising Kuantan Port, it is actually closer than Port Klang," he added.
The ECRL rail alignment from Kota Bharu to Gombak Integrated Terminal is expected to be completed by December 2026 and operational by January 2027.
The rail network's alignment between Gombak and Port Klang is scheduled for completion in December 2027, with full operations to commence from January 2028 onwards.
Previously, it was revealed that the construction cost of the ECRL project from Kota Baru to Port Klang along 665 km and 20 stations in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor remains at RM50.27 billion. – BERNAMA