Why Anthony Loke Is Pushing Operators to Prioritise Better Maintenance

Transport Minister Anthony Loke is on a mission to fix and modernise how we travel. His goal is simple: make our transport systems more efficient, digital-friendly, and better connected so you can get where you need to go without the headache .

Speeding up our rail projects

Loke is pushing hard to get stalled projects back on track. A great example is the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL). He has challenged the contractors to finish the passenger service by December 2026, a month earlier than the original January 2027 deadline .

The goal? To let students and families in the East Coast use the train in time for the year-end school holidays. Of course, he's made it clear that safety and testing must come first—no corners will be cut .

Getting ready for the future

Malaysia is also gearing up for the Transport Expo Asia 2026, which kicks off next week. This event is all about looking at the future of travel, including electric vehicles, self-driving technology, and smarter infrastructure . The ministry is working on creating a "transport ecosystem" where different modes of travel—like trains, buses, and freight—actually work well together .

Holding operators accountable

Since returning to the ministry in December 2022, Loke has been very vocal about one thing: maintenance matters. He has been pushing transport operators to be more accountable, whether it's fixing airport aerotrains or dealing with issues on older train lines .

His strategy is to demand higher service standards and faster upgrades while keeping an eye on long-term goals. Ultimately, he wants to ensure that public transport in Malaysia becomes reliable and world-class for everyone .