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http://www.straitstimes.com/asia ... -rival-to-singapore


East Coast Rail Link: Malaysia touts rail trade route as rival to Singapore
Malaysia has hailed an upcoming railway linking its east coast to Port Klang on the west coast as an "alternative trade route", claiming that a projected 53 million tonnes of cargo will bypass Singapore annually by 2030.
At a ground-breaking ceremony for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) attended by a high-level Chinese delegation yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Razak said the rail link "is a high-impact project that will seamlessly link the Klang Valley with the states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan".
The RM55 billion (S$17.5 billion) rail link, which will be built and funded by Chinese state firms, is slated for completion in 2024.
"The viability of the ECRL is undisputed as it is estimated that 5.4 million passengers and 53 million tonnes of cargo will use the ECRL service annually by 2030 as the primary transport between the east and west coast," Datuk Seri Najib said at the event in Kuantan, capital of his home state Pahang.
Still, analysts note that the 53 million tonnes Kuala Lumpur hopes will be carried via the ECRL each year is less than 10 per cent of what the Port of Singapore handles now.
馬國東海岸快鐵ECRL開始動工!完成後運載量有現有新國港口的10%!
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