SEREMBAN: A new RM170mil railway station will be built here within two years, while another nine stations in Klang Valley will be upgraded at a cost of RM110mil.
The Seremban Sentral station, in fact, will be the country’s first net-zero carbon emission station.
All 10 projects will be part of the Klang Valley Double Tracking project (KVDT2), says Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook.
The nine other stations are Salak South, Bangi, Pantai Dalam, Seri Setia, Batu Tiga, Padang Jawa, Klang, Jalan Kastam and Port Klang.
Work on these stations will start in two weeks.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Seremban station was held yesterday, just 48 hours after the Cabinet had approved the projects.
Loke said no extension of time (EOT) would be given for the completion of the high-impact project as the government was giving priority to public transport.
He said his ministry, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd and the Railway Asset Corporation all wanted to ensure the project was completed on time and the contractor would be able to work round-the-clock.
Dhaya Maju LTAT Sdn Bhd has been awarded the project.
“It has to be completed within the 24 months,” he said.
Loke, who is Seremban MP, said that since he would be returning to his constituency often, he would personally monitor the progress of the project.
He said the construction of the Seremban Sentral project was supposed to have started 10 years ago under the Transit Oriented Development concept which included the now-ready PR1MA Residensi Seremban Sentral affordable housing development and the Terminal One bus and taxi stations.
However, the project was shelved in 2019 to bring down the cost of KVDT2.
The Seremban Sentral project will also be a catalyst for growth and be the most modern landmark in the state capital.
He said apart from important landmarks located close to the station at present, Seremban Sentral wold soon include affordable housing, offices, hotel, commercial units and educational institutions with a gross development value of some RM1.4bil.
Loke said the current station, built in 1904, would be preserved and integrated into the new one.
The facade of the existing station, a heritage building, would not be demolished.
He also said rail services would be improved.
“I know many are unhappy with the current KTM Komuter service but give us some time. This will be improved,” he said.
“During the recent Cabinet retreat, the Prime Minister instructed all ministers to carry out their work fast. With 2024 a year of execution, we need to act fast.”
In another event in Klang, Loke said his ministry and the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) would work together to promote Malaysia as a homeport for international cruises.
Home sweet home: Costa Serena is Malaysia’s first international cruise homeport in Klang. — KK SHAM/The Star
A homeport is where cruises end or begin.
He said efforts to establish Malaysia as a homeport had been talked about for many years, but there was “no real effort” to make this a reality.
“I will also be attending the World Cruise Conference in Miami this April to promote Malaysia’s ports as a homeport,” he told a press conference after attending the launch ceremony of Costa Serena, Malaysia’s first international cruise homeport.
He said he would also be speaking directly to cruise liner operators to make Malaysia a homeport.
“We are confident that Malaysia is a good destination for homeporting,” he said.
On improving connectivity between ports and international airports, Loke said it would require collaboration between the agencies to create a seamless journey.
Separately, he said the ministry was monitoring the escalating situation in the Red Sea, where Houthi militant groups are targeting vessels.
He said no direct negative feedback had been reported from Malaysian exporters and importers.
On another matter, Loke said the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) had reached out to the Federal Aviation Authority’s (FAA) Asia Pacific office in Singapore over the incident where a Malaysian-made panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines jetliner recently.
“Yes, it was manufactured in Malaysia but in terms of approval for the product, it was by the FAA,” Loke said, adding that CAAM had yet to receive a response from them.
