KUALA LUMPUR: A feasibility study will be conducted soon on the viability of a railway system to be constructed in Sarawak as the state has yet to have any rail network, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
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“At the moment, we are still at the preliminary stage and the state transport ministry is talking to us at the federal government level. Probably, we could apply for a budget in order for the study to be conducted for Sarawak,” he told reporters after delivering his keynote address at Women in Rail Malaysia Conference 2023 today.
As for Sabah, he said the state has a short rail network and there is a lot of room for improvement in Sabah.
“As far as the federal government is concerned, we are fully supportive on the vision and implementation of the Sarawak Transportation Masterplan and we hope the state could succeed in managing a better transportation network,” he said.
Meantime, he said the ministry would continue to push for the timely completion of the Gemas-Johor Bahru Double Track Rail project, East Coast Rail Link, Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link and start rolling out new projects including the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) in the Klang Valley and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Penang.
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“These infrastructures are economic catalysts that will change how we and the next generation live and work in the future.
Strong investments in urban rail transportation will not only create compact cities but also enhance economic productivity, connect communities and improve the quality of life for Malaysians,” he said.
Loke said the ministry has been committed to fostering an inclusive and progressive rail industry that recognises and empowers the invaluable contributions of women.
“We must ensure that women have equal access to opportunities, whether it is in engineering, operations, management or any other aspect of the rail industry.
“It is even more critical that we draw in and support women’s involvement in emerging fields such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence and sustainable transportation,” he added. – Bernama