During his three-day official visit to Malaysia last June, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Beijing was willing to study a plan to connect the ECRL to other China-backed railway projects in Laos and Thailand, without offering further details.
Nor Aziati Abdul Hamid, senior researcher at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn’s Industry Centre of Excellence for Railway, called the ECRL’s potential connection with Thailand an “ambitious vision” that would significantly improve connectivity between Malaysia and the broader Southeast Asia.
“However, this goal faces several challenges that need to be addressed for it to become a reality. These challenges are both technical and geopolitical, spanning across infrastructure, logistics, regulatory frameworks and international cooperation,” she told CNA.
PASSENGER CONNECTIVITY
Domestically, Nor Aziati believes the ECRL will “significantly enhance” passenger connectivity in peninsular Malaysia, pointing out that the train can run at speeds of up to 160kmh.
“Many towns that are poorly connected by the current rail system will now have better access via the ECRL, opening up new travel patterns and increasing ridership,” she said.
Furthermore, bus, rail and flight services to the east coast typically see “a surge in demand” during holiday seasons such as Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji, when many Malaysians travel back to their hometowns and bus tickets often sell out weeks in advance, Nor Aziati noted.
Those who choose to drive back will have to slog it out on massively congested highways such as the Karak Expressway and the East Coast Expressway, with travelling times of 10 to 12 hours or more, she said.
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