Malaysia plans to extend the ECRL from Tumpat to Rantau Panjang and into Thailand, strengthening cross-border transport and economic growth.
PETALING JAYA: The Federal Government has decided to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from Tumpat to Rantau Panjang and has proposed extending the railway into Thailand using the same gauge, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He said the proposal was raised during discussions with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as both countries move to strengthen transport and trade links under the Malaysia-Thailand Border Economic Zone.
“The Federal Government has decided that the ECRL should be extended from Tumpat to Rantau Panjang.
“In discussions with Prime Minister Anutin, we proposed that the railway be continued into Thailand using the same gauge. The matter is being discussed by the Transport Ministry,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during Prime Minister’s Question Time.
Anwar said the border economic zone would cover not only Sadao and Bukit Kayu Hitam, but also Rantau Panjang, with state governments working together to expedite development in the affected areas.
He said Malaysia and Thailand were seeking to unlock bilateral trade potential that had yet to be fully utilised, including by removing barriers affecting Malaysian products transported through Thailand to other regional markets.
“Previously, Malaysian goods could not pass through several Thai customs restrictions to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
“Under the new agreement, the Thai prime minister has agreed to provide flexibility, which will open opportunities for Malaysia’s fisheries and agricultural sectors by allowing these restrictions to be addressed,” he said.
Anwar was replying to Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah), who asked about the expected economic benefits of the Malaysia-Thailand Border Economic Zone and how small businesses and border communities would share in them.
The planned developments include the Chuping Valley Industrial Area, Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah Rubber City and the RM327 million Perlis Inland Port, whose logistics cluster is targeted to handle 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in its first phase.
Anwar said RM45 million had also been allocated for the Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang bridge, while Kelantan had been asked to develop nearby commercial spaces for small traders and Bumiputera businesses.
As of June, financing approved through the PowerUp 10K initiative totalled RM400 million for entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Kelantan, RM287 million in Kedah and RM45 million in Perlis.
Replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (PN-Langkawi), Anwar said major companies operating in the growth areas must provide opportunities for local participation, employment and training.
“Every major company must ensure there is participation, employment opportunities and training.
“At Kulim Hi-Tech Park, for example, companies such as Infineon have developed training programmes with USM, while Nvidia works with UTM, and Intel and Google with UM,” he said.
Anwar said such partnerships would allow Malaysian students to receive industry-linked training before being recruited into professional positions by the companies involved.
