KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Shahril Mokhtar has backed the government over its decision to shelve a third line for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the Council of Eminent Persons, he said this was because the RM40 billion project was only in the planning stages.

However, he said the project should be revisited in the future, as it would be an important link to complete the Circle Line comprising the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang and MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya lines.

“We abide by the government’s decision but we also acknowledge that the MRT Line 3 is critical to close all the loops.

“However, we hope, once the government’s financial position gets better, they would consider (developing) this again,” he told reporters when met at Ilham Tower today.

When asked about the possibility of paying compensation to contractors, Shahril declined comment beyond saying:  “No major contract has been awarded.”

He also stressed that MRT3 was not one of the key topics discussed in the meeting today with the Council, led by former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

On May 30, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that the government is cancelling the proposed third line of the Klang Valley MRT line.

MRT3 was planned to provide a loop line in the effort to integrate all public transport system in Klang Valley by 2025.

The project, spanning over 40 km, was initially scheduled to have 26 stations with 32km of its route built underground.