{
  "id": 6696797,
  "title": "2027 Budget: Residents want govt to resume Rantau Panjang train services",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/2027-budget-residents-want-govt-to-resume-rantau-panjang-train",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T03:25:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/regional/2026/09/1530323/2027-budget-residents-want-govt-resume-rantau-panjang-train-services"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Residents of Rantau Panjang are eagerly awaiting the 2027 Budget, hoping the government will resume train services to Sungai Golok, Thailand. This revival, they believe, could breathe new life into their town's economy. Rantau Panjang, once a popular destination with bustling passenger and cargo trains crossing the border, now faces an overgrown railway station and damaged buildings due to abandonment.\n\nMohamad Naziz Abdul Zaman, a 48-year-old resident, expressed his disappointment, noting that the station appeared to have been refurbished around 2019 before train services were discontinued. He hopes that the 2027 Budget will allocate funds for the reconstruction of the station and the reactivation of the railway line, which could significantly boost trade and tourism in the border area.\n\nLocal resident Mohamad Abdul Fatah, 75, who has lived in Rantau Panjang for 40 years, echoed the sentiment, expressing happiness at the prospect of resuming train services. He believes this move would not only rejuvenate the local economy but also benefit younger generations and local traders who rely on visitors from Malaysia and Thailand.\n\nSukri Zakaria, a 54-year-old motorcycle taxi operator, welcomed the government's efforts to redevelop the railway station. He believes the revitalization could help restore Rantau Panjang's former glory, reminiscent of the vibrant atmosphere of the 1990s, thereby attracting more customers to his business.",
  "summary": "PASIR MAS: The resumption of train services from Rantau Panjang to Sungai Golok, Thailand, is among the local residents’ ‘wishlist’ items ahead of the tabling of the 2027 Budget on Oct 9, which they believe could revive the town’s economy.",
  "key_points": [
    "Residents of Rantau Panjang hope 2027 Budget resumes train services to Sungai Golok, Thailand.",
    "Mohamad Naziz Abdul Zaman, 48, wishes for station reconstruction and railway line reactivation.",
    "Sukri Zakaria, 54, believes revitalization will restore town's former glory."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : Budget 2027: Residents Want Gov't To Resume Rantau Panjang Train Services",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/general-budget-2027-residents-want-govt-to-resume-rantau-panjang",
        "published": "2026-09-11T02:24:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}