KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,118 engineering and construction companies in Malaysia have shown their interests in the civil works of the 55 billion ringgit (13 billion U.S. dollars) East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which will be led by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
Darwis Abdul Razak, chief executive officer of the rail project owner Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), said in a statement on Wednesday that CCCC will shortlist the qualified subcontractors for tendering the infrastructure work packages in the ECRL project.
The process is expected to take a few months as full-scale earthworks commences in early 2018, he added.
MRL embarked on a roadshow in Malaysia's four state capitals, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, from Oct. 15 to 23, to tap Malaysian subcontractors.
"The enthusiasm shown by Malaysian contractors during the recent roadshow is a further endorsement to the project. We are optimistic that their firm support would facilitate the effective implementation of civil works for the rail alignment that stretches from Kota Bharu to Port Klang," Darwis said.
On the progress of the ECRL project, Darwis said, MRL is actively involved in the land acquisition processes in the East Coast states, and has commenced soil investigation as well as set up base camps on multiple sites in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
In line with the government's commitment for local players to tap the ECRL project, a host of work packages such as earthworks, formation works, drainage works, foundation works, building works and tunneling are awarded by CCCC to Malaysian contractors.
Darwis is confident that the ECRL's project will be delivered ahead of its deadline of 2024, underpinned by qualified contractors.
