Frequent East Coast Rail Link Cable Thefts May Affect Train Operations

(Kuala Lumpur, 23rd) Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Darwis pointed out that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is currently in a critical stage, but recent frequent cable theft incidents may influence the planning and scheduling of train operations.
He said several cable theft cases have occurred at specific locations along the ECRL route, spanning Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor. This not only increases maintenance and replacement costs but may also delay the originally scheduled train testing and commissioning procedures set for June 2026.
He made these remarks when interviewed by the Malaysian media delegation in Beijing.

The Malaysian media’s visit was to tour the headquarters of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the ECRL’s main contractor, and CRRC Dalian, the rolling stock manufacturer.

The ECRL project is wholly owned by MRL, which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.

Darwis mentioned that if CCCC fails to deliver the project for the originally scheduled operations in 2027, it will face losses as high as RM1.25 million per day.
He said that as the project owner, MRL has lodged police reports regarding the theft incidents and has taken extra measures, including hiring a specialized security company to monitor and safeguard ECRL assets.

“However, we also hope for the continued cooperation of law enforcement agencies and local communities to jointly curb this criminal activity. This is a national project that needs all of us to protect it together.”
He also plans to meet with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution and the state police chiefs of the affected states to seek assistance and resolve the related issues.
As of May this year, overall construction progress of the ECRL has reached 83.38%, and it is expected to be completed on schedule in December 2026.
Darwis emphasized that 2025 is the most critical stage; currently, communication, information, and signaling systems have already been installed at Sultan Ahmad Shah City Station in Kuantan and will be installed concurrently at several other stations. However, since these systems were installed at Sultan Ahmad Shah City Station in March 2025, the ECRL project has often become a target for cable thieves.
He revealed that, apart from Sultan Ahmad Shah, other incidents of cable and transformer theft occurred at Bayu Bersatu/Camung, Cherating, and Kuantan Port City in Pahang; Chukai, Lahat Datu, and Kemaman in Terengganu; and Pasir Puteh in Kelantan.

In addition, he noted that the first two sets of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains and two electric freight locomotives manufactured by CRRC Dalian are expected to arrive in Malaysia by the end of this year, while the next batch of trains is scheduled for phased delivery starting from April 2026.
"System and train testing and commissioning are expected to commence in June 2026. This will be a critical stage to determine if we can begin operations."
He added that 38 tunnels along the project route have been fully penetrated, with the remaining two tunnels, Bentong No. 2 Tunnel and Genting Double Tunnel, expected to be completed by the end of this month and early next month, respectively.
He said that with the cooperation of state governments, land acquisition for the ECRL mainline from Kota Bharu in Kelantan to Port Klang in Selangor has been fully completed.
"Just a small amount of additional land is required for the electrical system for Tenaga Nasional, but we have completed all mainline land acquisitions."

Darwis also mentioned that ECRL freight services have been met with positive response from logistics providers, and according to preliminary commitments received, it is expected to transport 800,000 to 1 million tons of goods in its first year of operation in early 2027.

The 665-kilometer-long ECRL project is the largest infrastructure project implemented in Malaysia under China’s “Belt and Road” initiative and is expected to significantly improve the transportation network on the east coast of the peninsula and stimulate local economic development.