The MRT3 Rail Project Has Been Cancelled
The Government decided to scrap the project for now.
By Tamara Jayne — 30 May 2018, 04:45 PM
The KL-Singapore high speed rail is not the only rail project to have been scrapped. The Government has also just cancelled the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 3 project.
The announcement was made earlier today, 30 May, by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during a press conference, as reported by The Star. He noted that Pakatan Harapan will be reviewing all projects after taking over Putrajaya.
Initiated during former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's time, the MRT3 - also known as the Circle Line - was scheduled to be completed by 2025
The fully automated and driverless rail system would have covered major areas like Bandar Malaysia, Ampang, KL Ecocity, Bukit Kiara, and Sentul if implemented.
The first two MRT lines have already been constructed in Klang Valley. The first line, the Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line, was completed in two stages, with Phase One commencing operations in December 2016 and Phase Two in July last year.
Construction of the second Sungai Buloh-Putrajaya line has already begun, and is expected to be completed by 2022.
Former Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Syed Hamid Albar also supported the decision to scrap the MRT3, saying that now "wasn't the right time"
"We already have MRT1 and MRT2, and the cost of these projects is quite high. The ridership of MRT1 still isn't high, so there's no need to accelerate MRT3," he said, according to Free Malaysia Today.
"Let the ridership build first, and once the economy is better and there is a real need, it can be considered again," he suggested, adding that proceeding with the project will be a "big burden for the Government and people" otherwise.
Last September, CIMB Equities Research said the MRT3 could cost between RM35 billion and RM45 billion.