Photo by Zahid Izzani/The Edge

KLUANG (Sept 7): The construction of the Gemas-Johor Bahru electrified double-tracking rail project is currently 92% complete, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

He said the project is expected to be completed by 2025.

"This whole project needs time to complete as it has been delayed many times, especially due to Covid-19, but now it’s on track.

"We hope this project can be completed as soon as possible, so that it can connect Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur, and all the way to Padang Besar," he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the strategic cooperation for the construction of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park at the Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Hall here on Thursday.

Also present was Johor Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.

The electrified double-tracking project covers 192km of tracks going through 11 stations. Once completed, trains can cover the Kuala Lumpur Sentral-Johor Bahru Sentral route in three hours and 30 minutes at a speed of 140kph.

The MOU between the Railway Assets Corporation, the Kluang Municipal Council (MPK), SIPP-YTL JV and Think City Sdn Bhd is for the development of the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park, which includes a recreational park that will be built under the railway viaduct here.

Loke said the construction of the park had been gazetted in the MPK Local Plan 2030, which intends to change the landscape of the surrounding area, thus creating a green network and supporting low-carbon development.

"I would have an audience soon with Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to get His Majesty's approval to name the project after him,” he added.