Govt looking into building Sarawak railway, says Loke

Menteri Pengangkutan
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook also said there is room for improvement for Sabah’s short rail network.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will conduct a feasibility study on constructing a rail network in Sarawak, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said.

“At the moment, we are still at the preliminary stage and the state transport ministry is talking to us at the federal government level.

“We could probably apply for a budget for the study,” he said after delivering his keynote address at the Women in Rail Malaysia Conference 2023 today.

Loke also said Sabah has a short rail network, but there is a lot of room for improvement.

“As far as the federal government is concerned, we are fully supportive of the Sarawak transport masterplan and we hope the state can succeed in managing a better transport network,” he said.

He said the ministry will continue to push for the timely completion of the Gemas-Johor Bahru double track rail project, the East Coast Rail Link, and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.

It will also start rolling out new projects, including the Klang Valley MRT3 and the Penang LRT.

“These infrastructure projects are economic catalysts that will change how we and the next generation live and work in the future.

“Strong investments in urban rail transport will not only create compact cities, but also enhance economic productivity, connect communities and improve the quality of life for Malaysians,” he said.

Loke said the ministry has been committed to fostering an inclusive and progressive rail industry that recognises and empowers the invaluable contributions of women.

“We must ensure that women have equal access to opportunities, whether it is in engineering, operations, management or any other aspect of the rail industry.

“It is even more critical that we draw in and support women’s involvement in emerging fields such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence and sustainable transport,” he said.