KUALA LUMPUR: The construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is expected to further boost the growth of the construction and building materials sector as well as support the recruitment of local manpower, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

       The Transport Minister said this includes professionals, skilled and general workers for construction-related activities.

       Dr Wee was commenting on the project after he witnessed the signing ceremony of the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) supplement agreement No. 6 (for the ECRL project) on Thursday (June 2).

       The signing between Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) was also witnessed by China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.

       Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak, who represented the Malaysian government, signed the document with MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, ECRL managing director Kong Qi and its deputy project director and chief engineer Deng Bo.

       In a Facebook post, Dr Wee said that once it is operational, which is expected in early January 2027, the ECRL would transport both cargo and passengers through existing industrial and residential areas.

       "It will directly connect passengers from the east coast to ITT Gombak which is the gateway to Kuala Lumpur and vice versa.

       "The journey from Kota Baru to ITT Gombak and vice versa is expected to take only four hours using ECRL compared with an average of seven hours by road or up to 12 hours during the festive season," he said.