ECRL builds local workforce, eyes Thailand link

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 259 Malaysian trainees have successfully completed specialized railway training in China, forming the initial workforce for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL). These trainees will assume various roles, such as station operations, EMU maintenance, signalling, assistant train driving, and locomotive driving, as outlined by Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.

Selected in three batches in 2025, these trainees underwent a one-year BNKI training programme at the Yuzhou Railway Occupational Medical College/LRBTC in Yuzhou, China. This program aims to provide practical experience in railway operations and maintenance, preparing them for the ECRL's pioneering operating workforce once the line commences commercial operations.

The training falls under the Industrial Skills Training Programme (PLKI), launched in June 2017, which seeks to build technical skills and operational expertise necessary to support ECRL in the long run. Meanwhile, Darwis stated that the ECRL's broader impact will rely on how businesses, communities, and industries leverage the enhanced connectivity.

He emphasized that this development offers Malaysia a novel mode of travel between the East Coast and the Klang Valley while providing businesses with a fresh method to transport goods. MRL is also examining a proposed extension from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang, which could bolster passenger connectivity with southern Thailand and generate long-term freight opportunities.

This proposal has gained traction, with Malaysia and China agreeing to the extension, albeit further discussions with stakeholders are required before it reaches the Cabinet. The proposed link will connect with the dormant Pasir Mas-Rantau Panjang railway, which has been idle for years. The government is also exploring how the existing Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd line could be integrated with the ECRL to optimize costs and connectivity.

Darwis highlighted that such connectivity could eventually strengthen Malaysia-Thailand rail links, offering an additional channel for regional trade.