LRT3 Might Be Delayed Again As Testing Encounters Issues - Report

The LRT3, which was supposed to be up and running early next year, looks like it might be pushed back again. Sources told The Edge that the line is still facing a few problems during testing. 

The problems mainly involve software glitches with the signalling system and the fact that it hasn’t completed the fault-free run required before getting the final approval from the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).

Because of that, no one is able to say for sure when the LRT3 will officially open to commuters.

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd told the daily news portal that it will be holding a media briefing "soon" to give an update on the project, but no date has been fixed yet.

For the record, the 37.8km alignment has already gone through several delays. It was first supposed to open on 30 Sept, then postponed to 31 Dec, and later pushed to early next year. 

Transport Minister Anthony Loke mentioned in Nov that the opening date would really depend on the results of the ongoing testing to make sure everything is safe and reliable.

For context, the LRT3 runs from Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya all the way to Johan Setia in Klang. It was launched back in 2016 with a budget of RM9 billion under the Barisan Nasional government.

But when Pakatan Harapan took over in 2018, they revealed that the RM9 billion figure didn’t include a lot of big-ticket items like the 6% project delivery partner fee, consultancy fees, operating expenses, overheads and interest during construction. 

Once everything was added up, the real cost came up to RM31.7 billion.

To control the ballooning price, the government later trimmed the project by cancelling one station and shelving five others, bringing the cost down to RM16.63 billion.

Then last year in Budget 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the five shelved stations would be brought back which include Tropicana, Raja Muda, Temasya, Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik. This reinstatement added RM5.3 billion to the bill, bringing the latest project cost to RM21.93 billion.

Once it finally opens, the line is expected to serve around 67,000 passengers a day.