KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4— Government-owned public transportation systems manager Prasarana Malaysia Negara Berhad will be partnering with George Kent Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) to develop a RM 9 billion Bandar Utama— Klang LRT extension next year.
The project is a series of public railway network extension efforts to make public transportation more accessible to residents in the Klang Valley and Selangor.
The partnership was announced today in a special press conference at Prasarana’s head office here in Bangsar by its president and group chief executive Datuk Azmi Abdul Aziz.
Aziz told reporters that George Kent, the company that had also clinched the RM 7 billlion lucrative Ampang Line LRT Extension deal three years ago was appointed via an open tender procedure for the Bandar Utama-Klang LRT extension project.
The MRCB-George Kent joint venture (JV) was approved by the Finance Ministry, which has enlisted the two as Prasarana’s project delivery partners (PDP) for the said development.
Expounding further on the RM 9 billion cost, Azmi clarified that the amount is purely for the development of the LRT line and does not include land acquisition costs which will only be revealed later this year.
“The handover of this project signifies the start of the LRT3 project.
“We want the PDPs to start the design works and put effort towards getting the pre-qualification for the work packages, targeted by the end of the year,” Azmi said.
“There will be additional costs for the land acquisitions. We are still listening to grouses on the ground to minimise the social impact,” he added.
Azmi said that based on a public hearing exercise carried out three months ago, 90 per cent of stakeholders gave full support for the project.
The 36 kilometre LRT line connecting Bandar Utama and Klang will have 25 stations and is expected to be completed by 2020.
