{
  "id": 9563117,
  "title": "Malaysia, China setuju cadangan laluan ECRL dilanjut ke Rantau Panjang",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/malaysia-china-setuju-cadangan-laluan-ecrl-dilanjut-ke-rantau-panjang",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-24T12:23:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/09/24/malaysia-china-setuju-cadangan-laluan-ecrl-dilanjut-ke-rantau-panjang"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Hangzhou today. (Photo by Facebook Anwar Ibrahim) Anwar stated that Malaysia and China agreed to continue the Eastern Coastal Rail (ECRL) project from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang, Kelantan. He said that the project would not only revitalize the underdeveloped rural economy in Kelantan but also open up continuous transportation links with Thailand. \"Further discussions on the ECRL proposal will be held with all stakeholders before it is brought to the Ministerial Meeting for consideration,\" Anwar told Malaysian media after concluding his work visit to China today. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the proposal also received positive feedback during his discussions with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. ECRL is a transportation project that provides seamless regional connectivity, connecting the Western Coast and Eastern Coast Peninsular Malaysia, stretching 665km. The ECRL route will start from Kota Bharu and end at Klang Port, involving 20 stations, including 10 passenger stations and 10 mixed freight and passenger stations. Other ministers present in the media briefing included Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani, Minister of Transport Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Home Affairs Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Malaysian Ambassador to China Norman Muhamad. Anwar said the bi-lateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang today were crucial as they encompass strategic issues faced by both countries and the ASEAN region, in addition to gaining insights into the agenda of the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who are on an official visit to Washington DC. Anwar mentioned whether the issue of tariffs and trade pressure by the US was discussed, Anwar emphasized that Malaysia remained neutral and chose to continue the dialogue space continuously with US parties, and China was already aware of the matter. In this regard, he also recorded high appreciation for the 22 Malaysian participants who won medals at the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Grand Final, which took place until last weekend. Earlier, Anwar also inaugurated the Malaysia Pavilion at the Global Digital Trade Expo 5th (GDTE) at Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center. The Malaysia Pavilion, featuring 15 exhibition booths, including four government agencies, showcased Malaysia's strength and innovation in the fields of digital trade, artificial intelligence, cloud services, smart healthcare, and e-commerce borderless. Companies Malaysia, coordinated by the Malaysia Investment and Development Corporation (Matrade), highlighted the capabilities and strengths of Malaysia's digital and technology-based companies to compete globally. Prime Minister left for Kuala Lumpur tonight after concluding his three-day work visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou.",
  "summary": "Cadangan ECRL akan dibincangkan bersama semua pihak berkepentingan sebelum dipertimbangkan oleh Jemaah Menteri, kata perdana menteri.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}