KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 – There are currently no plans to extend the Electric Train Service (ETS) to the east coast, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said that the east coast railway lines are single-track and lack the electrification infrastructure necessary for ETS operations.
“The east coast is currently served only by Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) because Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) tracks there are single-track and not electrified…but, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project will serve that region.”
Loke said this at a press conference after the launch of the new diesel buses, which was also attended by Land Public Transport Agency director-general Datuk Azlan Shah Al Bakri, Prasarana Group president and chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, and Rapid Bus chairman Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.
The minister said that ETS services will continue to focus on the west coast, operating between Padang Besar in Perlis and Johor Bahru, Johor.
Regarding KTMB, Loke said improvements are needed, especially in commuter, ETS, and freight services, which have yet to achieve full profitability.
However, he stressed that profitability is not KTMB’s main focus as a government-linked company (GLC), which has a social responsibility to provide the best service to the public.
