MiTRANS: ECRL-Sungai Golok Link Key to Regional Rail

Extending the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from Kota Bharu to Sungai Golok would complete the eastern corridor of the Singapore–Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) and boost Malaysia’s regional logistics role, said Dr Wan Mazlina Wan Mohamed of MiTRANS.

She noted the extension would link with Thailand’s planned rail upgrades from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok and create an alternative land bridge between Port Klang, Kuantan Port and Kunming in China through southern Thailand.

Currently, only the western side of the SKRL runs through Padang Besar and Hat Yai. The eastern route, through Kelantan, is still disconnected.

Wan Mazlina was responding to a recent suggestion by Thailand's ambassador to Malaysia, Lada Phumas. The ambassador proposed extending the ECRL to the Sungai Golok border to improve rail links between the two countries.

She said the project would strengthen regional rail networks and support the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity 2025. Border facilities would also need upgrades, including immigration and customs posts, to make cross-border movement easier.

Better rail links would help Kelantan attract investment. It would support the state’s goals under the Tanah Merah-Tumpat Corridor and help draw in RM9.5 billion in private investments by 2025.

Wan Mazlina added that the extension fits well with Malaysia’s National Logistics Policy 2030. The policy aims to boost the share of freight moved by rail and improve the East Coast’s role in regional trade.

From a cost perspective, she said rail transport is about 30 percent cheaper than road for bulk goods. Travel time between Kota Bharu and Bangkok could be cut in half, from 24 hours to just 12.

However, she warned that the extension could cost over RM2 billion due to the need for new construction and border facilities. The government must weigh this against other major projects, like ECRL Phase 2 to Penang and the Sabah-Sarawak link.

There are also challenges like land acquisition in flood-prone areas, building a bridge over the Golok River, and protecting wetlands in Tumpat.

Given all that, she still believes that if done right, the project could turn Malaysia’s East Coast into a key trade and logistics hub for ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Source: BERNAMA