KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — The Selangor government has reached an agreement with the Transport Ministry (MoT) over the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) northern alignment, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said today.
Amirudin expressed that the state government hopes the ECRL project will take note of the environmental impact involving the Batu Dam and relocation of Orang Asli.
“The State Executive Council (MMKN) which met on November 17 and again on November 24 2021, has agreed to accept the ECRL Northern Line proposal involving Section C1 from Mentakab to Gombak and Section C2 covering Gombak-Serendah-Port Klang.
“In this regard, I officially note that the Selangor state government has no more obstacles for the implementation of the ECRL to cross the northern part of the state of Selangor,” he said during the event today titled “ECRL Press Conference and Document Handover Ceremony For Section C (Northern Alignment)”.
He further said that the Selangor government remains hopeful that the federal government will consider the ECRL southern alignment in the future.
Previously, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the government has incurred about RM1.25 million losses a day following the Selangor state government’s decision to postpone the realignment agreement of the ECRL project.
Mohd Zuki said the Malaysia-China mega railway project has been delayed for about a year and might be delayed further if the Selangor government remained adamant with its decision.
The impasse between the federal and Selangor governments stems from the latter’s preference for the southern Selangor route, cutting through the Kuala Langat (North) forest reserve.
The federal government meanwhile, has proposed for the northern Selangor route, which would include the building of the Serendah bypass.